


Helpful Stranger

by Roundabouts



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Abusive Chilton, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Babysitting, Bullying, Cannibalism, Emotional Abuse, M/M, Manipulation, Masturbation, Mental Abuse, Nightmares, Non Consensual, One-Sided Relationship(s), Physical Abuse, Possessive Hannibal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2017-12-15 22:36:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/854763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roundabouts/pseuds/Roundabouts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Given up by his father as a child, Will is thrown into a loveless guardianship with Doctor Frederick Chilton. At his private school, everyone thinks William Graham is insane. He's a loner who's suddenly perked the interest of a strange young man who keeps sitting by him during lunch. Can he let go of his issues and let him in?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Home

Will's relationship with his parents had always been strained. As soon as he was old enough to decide things for himself, he refused human contact. His mother realized something was wrong with her child, and she sought help. His father was too proud, and he led the boy to suffer alone. It was not until his wife died that he decided to heed her warning and take him to a doctor. After a few sessions, work was published on the boy. Very soon, many people wanted him. The young, seven year old boy was well known, gifted, and people offered to adopt him. He was too valuable to let some deadbeat, poor, drunken man ruin him. Many people offered money, promised the best education, anything, to get their hands on the young, motherless child. The father, however, clung to the little boy.

Will Graham looked like his mother with his soft curls and gentle, innocent face. He had his mother's eyes, her kindness despite the fact he often flinched and pulled away from others.

A single, young man with a newly established career was the winner. His name was Doctor Frederick Chilton. He was not entirely self built- his family was wealthy. He offered more money and gifts to the Will's father than the man had made in the past few years. Will felt deeply wounded.

Will looked very young for his age, but he knew what was happening when the fancy car pulled up. He stared at it, his father holding a small bag with a few toys and a few pairs of clothes. "He said he'd buy you nicer things." His voice was rough, sad. The little boy felt tears in his eyes, but he knew his father would not approve. He had called this a blessing. He had said this was the best he could offer him because staying would do him no good in life. He would only hold him back. "You know I love you."

"Yes, daddy."

"I love you very much. I can't give you anything. I have nothing to offer you. Be a good boy for Dr. Chilton. He'll take care of you now." He paused like he had something in his throat. "I will never stop loving you, Will... You look like your mom," The dad bent down to touch the side of Will's face. Will bit his bottom lip, tears welling up in his eyes. "I love you so much, son. Be a good boy. Make us proud, and you do good by our name." He kissed Will's forehead. "Good bye."

Will lost his words, starting to sob quietly as he wrapped his thin arms around his dad's neck. The young man tapped Will's shoulder. "Come on then." His voice cool, showing no concern about the little boy's feelings.

"No." His small voice was hard. "No!" He started to scream as cruel arms grabbed him. He screamed and kicked and sobbed as he was torn away from his dad. "No, please- Daddy, daddy! I'll be good! I'll be a good boy, please, daddy!"

His dad started to cry, unable to look away from his child.

Will had never seen his father cry, and it only made him cry harder though he lost all of his fight. He was pushed into the back of a car, and next to him was his new guardian. He stared out the window, watching as his father's figure became more distant until he was completely gone from his sight.

"So, William-"

"Will." He corrected though he felt like he wanted to curl up and sleep until he was back home with his dad.

"Your birth certificate says William."

"Mommy and daddy never called me that. It was always Will."

"Well, I'm your new daddy. I'm going to call you William."

"No." The child growled, glaring harshly at the young man who seemed amused.

"Be a good boy, William." The doctor demanded, looking down at the young boy beside him. Will bit down on his lips as he remembered what his father had told him, tears starting to form in his eyes again. "That's right, a good little boy, my dear William." He pets the boy's head like he was little puppy rather than a human.

William Graham woke up in a cold sweat. He sat up, shaking. He hadn't dreamed about his childhood in a very long time. He sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. The teenager got up, and he found his way to the bathroom. Just as he was done taking a shower and getting presentable, he went downstairs. In the kitchen, the maids cooked while the doctor sat at the table, drinking coffee. "Good morning, William."

"Morning." The younger male mumbled, eyes harsh at the sight of the doctor. He smiled at the young woman who handed him a mug of hot chocolate. "Thanks." He sat across the table, glancing at the older man.

"You'll visit my office after school today." It was a demand. "Don't be late."

"Sure."

"William."

"Yes, sir." He hissed, glaring at him.

"Thank you." It was then that Dr. Chilton raised his eyes to look at his ward. He smiled because William was pretty. He had curly hair that framed his soft face. His eyes a soft gray blue and he was slender. Chilton adored him, but he despised his foul mouth and terrible behavior. Over the years of constant abuse on his mind and body, Will had begun to resent the young man who was raising him. “I’m sure we can find different ways to entertain ourselves if you get bored.”

Will slammed his mug down on the table. “I’m going to school.” He growled, walking out the room. He left the sounds of laughter for walking to his school which was close by. He had forgotten his coat, but he didn’t care. He trudged through the snow as he made his way to campus. He lived close enough that he didn’t have to worry about living at the school. Doctor Chilton had not lied when he said he would provide the best education possible for him. He was going to the best private school in the country. After he finally cooled off, he was near the school, and he was freezing. He tried not to show that he was cold as he walked down the outdoor halls to his building.

His eyes went towards the ground. He walked up the steps before opening the door to his classroom, early. He sat down in his desk, putting his head down and trying to clear his mind from all the cruel things he was thinking. The teenager finally got up, going to his lockers to find his bag which he had left here the night before when he realized that he didn’t have any homework. As he got to the locker room, he automatically saw his. It stood out like a sore thumb. Bright red letters screamed LITTLE FAGGOT BITCH. He had no reaction, opening his locker and taking a rag out to clean it. He took his things out, and he wandered back to his first class, feeling disconnected.

He had no friends here. The students, the teachers, everyone, thought he was insane. The only person who had ever treated him even remotely like a person in this new life was Alana Bloom. She was a sweet person, but he knew that she thought he was crazy too. The only reason she spoke to him was because Chilton had dangled Will in her face, offering her a chance to talk with him for a date. Once, when he had first come to live with Chilton, he remembered that she came to dinner with a boy at his home. Chilton had sent him to his room because he didn't want anyone to talk to him.

Will was hurt when he found out that an hour chat with him was worth a lunch date with his crazy, selfish guardian. He sat down at his desk, and he let the day go by with him in auto pilot, unaware that a set of dark eyes were watching him. Will went to Chilton’s office after school like he was told.

The young man trembled as he walked in. The day he had came home with Chilton, the man forced Will to walk through the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. He had scared the child out of his wits. After they were out the door, Chilton had taken Will’s hands in his and got on his knees. He promised that if Will ever did something out of line, he would leave Will there and not come back for him.

“Hello, William.”

“Hey.” Will stood by the window, looking out and wishing he was at home rather than in here with his guardian. His eyes flickered towards him. “What did you want?”

“Would you like to go to dinner with me after our chat?" He asked the young man who frowned at him. “Its either dinner with me or you don’t eat.” He glanced over Will’s pale features. He shrugged. At this, Chilton smiled. He stood up, walking towards his ward and placing both hands on his shoulders. “Come now, sit! I want to talk about last night. I heard you screaming. Did you have a nightmare?”

Will felt his eyes dull a little. “Yes.”

“What was it about?”

“I... can’t remember.”

“Don’t lie.”

“I dreamt that my father was giving me away to you.”

“He did.”

“It was a bad memory. I didn’t realize I screamed.”

“Yes, you were saying you’d be a good boy.” He teased, watching Will tense up. “Well, you should know you did your family name proud. I still would have preferred if you took my last name though... William Chilton. Think about it, it’s not too late to take it.”

Will frowned. “I like my name. I wouldn’t change it.” He turned away before he reached out to pick up a picture of himself as a child on the desk. “How old was I?”

“That picture was taken when you were nine.” Chilton smiled fondly. “You were a good boy.”

“Shut up.” Will growled, turning away now.

“Don’t be that way, William. Come here, let me see you.” He offered a hand, and Will grudging went to stand in front of him, lifting his chin a little as Chilton expected him. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. The man kissed him on his lips, and the boy automatically pulled away. “Stop it.”

Will twitched slightly. The unspoken threat made him stay.

Even now, he was afraid of being put behind these walls.

Chilton pressed his lips against Will’s again, but he was more fierce this time. One hand ran through Will’s dark, curly hair while the other started to undo the buttons on his shirt. Will gulped, trying to keep his mouth closed and eyes shut, his body rigid. “Look at me. Open your mouth.” Will opened his eyes as his mouth opened carefully. Just as he was beginning to get touched, a knock on the door saved him from what was usually his fate. Chilton cursed and backed away. He grabbed Will’s arm and dragged to the private restroom in the office and quickly made himself presentable. He gave his ward a jab in the side. “Clean yourself up. Afterward, come back out and sit beside me.”

Will washed his face and glanced into the mirror, frowning. He ran a hand through his hair. He fixed his uniform, and he carefully adjusted the collar so it was hiding the marks on his skin. He opened the door and went to stand beside his guardian. He felt Chilton’s arm around his shoulder, heard the fake laughter as he was introduced to Jack Crawford. Will offered the older man a smile, reaching out to shake hands as Chilton expected him to.

“You’re a smart one, I heard.” Crawford smiled. “So, William Graham, do you have any hobbies?”

“I fish.”

“Tell him about your talent.” Chilton pushed.

“Doctor Chilton was very kind to me as a child. He took me in, and he raised me as his son. He has been helping me understand myself and my personality disorder. I have pure empathy. I can put myself in a person’s shoes and reenact actions in my head and piece things together.”

“Wait, you’re the boy-” Crawford seemed pleasantly surprised as a smile fell on his face. “It is an honor to meet you, son. I can’t believe you were the child that everyone was talking about a few years back.”

Will nodded.

“Well, I came to drop by and say hello. I wanted to know if, Doctor Chilton, there was any chance I could let a few of my agents speak to some of the people in your care?”

Will blanked out, moving back to sit down behind his guardian’s desk. He fumbled with the pictures of Chilton and him as a child. Chilton hadn’t taught him how to fish. Will’s father had. Chilton took him fishing because that was one of the only way that Will would talk to him when they first began to live together.

Crawford left after a while. Chilton glanced at his watch. “William, let’s go to a restaurant.”

“Yes, sir.” Will grumbled, hungry. Chilton was careful about his behavior towards Will in public, making sure to make very suggestive comments just to stir Will up, but he was always sure to make things calm enough, so he wouldn’t lose control.

The two ordered, and Will ate his meal quietly, sending Chilton rude looks whenever he could. “William, we’ll have to discuss your behavior when we get home.” He finally hissed as he caught another glare. This time Will looked like a child before he bowed his head.

“I have homework due”

“I guess you should have thought twice about looking at me like that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That doesn’t change anything. I expect you in my room.”

Will kept his mouth closed, and his eyes down for the rest of the meal. Chilton didn’t seem to mind because a young woman decided to sit with them, flirting her way into getting a meal and a ride home. Will hoped that Chilton would forget him in the view of a woman. Of course, after the meal, he sent her away and paid for the meal before leaving with Will. William sighed, but he followed him out. When they got home, Will obediently followed him up into his room, and he stood by the door. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“M- may I go back to my room and do my homework?”

“No.” Chilton smiled, taking off his coat. “You’re going to keep my company.” He paused before he looked over Will like he was trying to decide something. “You can spend the night in my room. Fetch your homework, and you best hurry back here.” Will left the room, starting to tremble now. He listened to him because he would die if he was left behind in that place where Chilton worked. He hugged himself as he walked down the halls to grab his things. He went back into the room with Chilton. He kept his head lowered.

“Tell me, William, do you think I am a good man?”

Will glanced over Chilton’s face, eyes painfully blank. “If what happens in this room depends on my answer, I would rather not answer it. If I answer the truth, you’ll have your reasons to do what you want with me. If I answer falsely, it will again, give you another reason to do what you want.” This time Chilton grinned, walking over to put his hand on Will’s cheek. “I won’t ask anything of you. Just lay beside me, William.”

Will took off his layers of clothes until he only had on his tank top and boxers. He slipped under the covered, and he closed his eyes as arms wrapped around him. As soon as Chilton was asleep, he opened his eyes. It was dark in the bedroom as he stared up at the ceiling. He felt tears slide down the side of his face. He got out of the grip that Chilton had around him, and he went to the desk in the corner of the room and turned on the light.

He took out his homework. It was late when he finally completed it.

The teenager wanted to sneak out of the bedroom, to go to his own room and sleep there. He didn’t like it in here, but he knew he had to stay. He didn’t want to stay in the mental hospital. Will put his things away before getting into bed with Chilton, moving towards the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes, and he fell asleep.

Will woke up being straddled by his guardian. His wrists were being painfully held. “W-what are you-”

“You’re finally awake.” Chilton sighed. He got off of Will before smiling sheepishly. “Have your nightmares gotten worse, William? You’ve failed to mention these to me.”

“I didn’t realize... I didn’t think I dreamed last night.” Will sat up, trembling in sweat. “If I had known, I would have told you about them.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter.” Chilton whispered as he pressed his lips against Will’s cheek. “Be a good boy and get ready for school. I’ll drive you today. I have work this morning. I expect you to eat breakfast with me.” At that, Will was kicked out of the room. The teenager wandered back to his room with his things, taking a shower and getting ready for school. He was putting on his coat when he sat at the table. He sat across from Chilton who smiled at him. The maid served them, and she left the room. They ate in a comfortable silence, Will feeling better about things today. “Visit me after school today, I want to give you something special.” He managed to give Chilton a smile before he was dropped off at school.


	2. Disobedience

When Will got to the locker room, he sighed to himself. He opened his locker and took out his rag. He gently cleaned the new, bright red curse words from his locker before leaving a couple books inside and locking it back up. As he left the room, he was tripped. Will fell on the ground, scraping the heel of his palm. He frowned bitterly at the young man who tripped him.

The school bully found it fun to tease Will for being adopted into his wealth. Will was insane, and the man who was in charge of the mental health hospital had taken him as his ward because of his insanity. The unstable teenager got up, and he tried to walk away, trying to ignore the jeers and snide comments: “Your dad was a nobody. He gave you up. You’re worthless.”

Will bit down his bottom lip. He wouldn’t fall for those taunts again. He had been beaten up last time he tried to swing at the boy. The older boy's friends had held him down and beat him bloody. His face was bruised, and he had nearly broken a rib. The school officials only said that boys would be boys. As if that would comfort him. Instead he threw him a dirty look and held his tongue. It didn't help that the other boy's father was the disciplinary officer at the school.

He managed to escape their words as he got to class. He took his seat by the window and took in a deep breath.

Today would be a long day.

The day dragged on slowly. By the time his lunch hour came around, he was starving and tired. He sat by himself at a table under a tree. It was a lonely table, so no one wanted it. Will felt the need to claim it, so it had been his eating spot for almost three years. There was a woman in front of the dining room who sold lunches. He made it a habit to buy from her. He got a sandwich and water. Sometimes, he would feel the need to eat something sweet and he’d buy a muffin or a cookie from her. It depended on his mood. Today, however, was a sandwich day. He pulled out a few papers from his bag and started to do some homework while he ate. The sudden clang of a bag on the table startled him.

A tall, young man soon before him, a smile on his too calm face. “Hello. My name is Hannibal Lecter.” He reached out his hand for a handshake. Will shakily grasped his and gave him a weak nod. “I was wondering if I could sit beside you?”

“Of course,” Will choked a little on the words. He then looked down at his papers before he searched his mind for something to say. “Ah... my name is Will Graham, it's nice to meet you.”

The clearly older boy stared him for few seconds, like he was reading Will. “Thank you.”

Will felt a terrible urge to get up and run away. Hannibal was much to calculating, already seeming to know what everything he would do, would be. He bit down his lip and tried not at look back up at him. Of course, he failed to listen to himself as whenever Hannibal looked down to eat his food, Will’s eyes would flicker up. Just as Will looked up, Hannibal glanced up too, making eyes contact. He sat up more, letting a smile fall to his lips as he tilted his head slightly.

This time Will let out a small, strangled noise, cheeks blushing. “I’m sorry-”

“Sorry?”

“Nothing.” Will mumbled, looking down at his hands. No one had ever sat with him more than a few minutes. Everyone avoided him. “So... how was your day?” He sounded pitiful as he tried to make a conversation.

“It was fine. How about yours?”

“Good.” Will said, starting to tremble as Hannibal's hand reached towards him. Will flinched as the hand carefully adjusted the glasses on his face. Will bowed his head, trying not to stare at Hannibal.

“I’m sorry, did I frighten you? I only meant to fix your glasses.” His voice was so soothing.

“No, it’s all right.”

“Well, William-”

“Will, call me Will.”

“Will...” He amended softly. “Why Will?”

“No one calls me William except my guardian.” He felt his tongue get thick with each word, making him feel sick and vulnerable inside. Hannibal's eyes searched his face for some sort of answer. “I would be happy to get called Will.”

“Guardian?”

“Doctor Frederick Chilton. He’s my guardian.”

“You’re related to that... that man?”

“No, no! I- I’m not, I just got put under his care.” Will stuttered, sensing a type of dislike within Hannibal’s voice. He wondered why he wanted Hannibal to like him. Will put a smile on his face. He wanted to know why he suddenly valued someone's opinion. "I'm surprised no one has told you about me yet."

"What do they say?"

"I don't..."

"It would be best if you told me rather than I find out by a person who dislikes you." He makes it sound like its common sense, almost making Will feel silly. "I would rather hear your side of the story."

The younger of the two looked lost for words for a moment. He stared at the table before finally looking back up at Hannibal. "When I was a child, my mother died, so my dad had to take care of me. He... couldn’t cope, so he started to drink. He sent me to therapy like my mom wanted, and I got work published on me. It ends up that I was special to learning about mental problems or something like that. The highest bidder was Doctor Chilton."

"But you don't hate your father."

"He did what he thought was best for me. He didn't give me up because he disliked me."

"How do you feel about your guardian?"

"I don't mind him so much anymore." Will mumbled, appearing slightly annoyed by the question. "Did he hire you to find out what I think about him?" Will asked bluntly, eyes hardening as he glared. Hannibal seemed amused by this, allowing a smirk to grace his lips.

"No." He answered honestly. “Your guardian would never believe me if I told him that. Allow me to say, our relationship is not a good one.”

“You know Doctor Chilton?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“He’s quite popular because of you actually.” Hannibal said lightly, glancing towards Will’s shocked face. “I’ve been to your home before. You must have been the little shadow who clung onto his pants leg. I was with Doctor Alana Bloom when I went. We were invited to dinner. I believe you were sent to your room. I guess I shouldn’t expect you to remember. I went when I was about fifthteen. You were just a child then-”

“How old are you?”

“I am turning twenty two in a few months.”

“You’re only a few years older than me.” Will mumbled though he was sixteen. He glared at Hannibal now. “Are you a teacher here?”

“I’m a teacher’s assistant. Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier has been lecturing here, and since I’m majoring in psychology... I decided to join her.” Hannibal paused, taking a bit of his meal as he chewed thoughtfully. “If you... aren’t busy today, you should listen to her. She’s a wonderful speaker.”

Will looked surprised, a smile starting to spread before it faded. He really wanted to know why he cared about his opinion. “I... I’m actually supposed to see Doctor Chilton after school today. He’ll be upset if I’m late.”

Hannibal merely nodded. “Another time then. She does it often enough. I guess I’ll have to keep joining you for lunch until you come listen to her.” At this, Will’s cheeks heated up slightly. “One more thing, Will... Tell Doctor Chilton I said hello.”

“Okay,” The bell rang. Will glanced back to Hannibal who smile again.

“Good bye. It’s been a pleasure.” And Hannibal left. Will stood at the table for a few seconds before he packed up and headed to class, wondering if he should really repeat the message to his guardian. In his mind, the day seemed to last forever. He was pushed down the staircase by one of the boys, and he nearly knocked himself out by the time he was at the bottom. But when the day finally ended, the minutes went by too fast as he tried to hurry to get to his guardian’s office before it was so late that the man became upset with him.

Will knocked on the door, waiting outside. “Come in,” Doctor Chilton called. Will opened the door and walked in, seeming more or less happy at the moment. “How was your day?”

“Made a friend,” Will grinned now.

“A... friend?”

“Yes, why do you look so surprised? Well, he told me to tell you hello.”

“What’s his name?”

Then he remembered that Hannibal had said he and Chilton weren’t on good terms.

“N-name? Well... it’s pretty long. Don’t think I’ll ever call him by it.” Will stuttered, seeming gauche with words now. He smiled again, this time deciding to take Chilton’s mind off of it. He moved closer, taking seat beside him behind the desk, leaning in towards him. He wondered what he wanted from him. He was rarely called on him twice, two days in a row. “Besides, he probably isn’t that interesting. So what did you-”

Chilton grabbed Will and pulled him into a hungry kiss, nipping and licking at his jaw. At first he was too stunned to respond but after a moment he let out a small growl. “Oh William... why the hell do you have to be so interesting?” Chilton groped Will’s ass, making Will jump a little. “Be a good boy... Let me have you.”

His good mood was killed.

Will’s jaw tightened as he tried to pull away, unable to stop Chilton’s wandering fingers, poking and prodding. His belt was undone, and he bent over the desk. Finally, Will let out a sharp yelp, grabbing onto the desk as his face heated up. He dug his fingernails into the desk, hoping to leave some sort of mark that would haunt this man, letting out a pained grunt as he felt something hard against his bottom.

He felt tears form in his eyes. Chilton’s handkerchief was stuffed into his mouth before he come make any noises that would lead anyone to believe something was happening in the room. The first thrust and Will was already trying to rip into the wooden, expensive desk. He gagged, trying not to sob like he wanted to as he was used. His hips being grabbed roughly while he tried to remain standing. He lost count how many times he was entered. And then Chilton was done with him.

He pushed Will off the desk, watching the teenager crumple onto the floor, holding himself like that could keep him from falling apart. Chilton's eyes went to his thighs as he saw the white substance and blood slide down. Chilton reached down and took his handkerchief from his mouth, watching with a newly lit lust as a trail of saliva left softly parted lips. He bent down to kiss the boy on the lips. “Get out of my office, you perfect little slut.”

Will pulled himself up, and he quickly left the office, head down because he couldn’t stop his tears.

As he got onto the street, he wiped them away and tried not to limp.

He nearly bumped into the young man who left the store. Will looked up, about to apologize when he saw Hannibal. His face flushed. Just when he had finally found someone who seemed to even slightly enjoy his company, who said that they'd sit with him again, he had to bump into them in the most embarrassing of time. He quickly bowed his head and tried to hurry away when the young man’s hand shot out to grab his wrist. Will tensed up at the touch, not wanting to shout like he wanted to.

“What’s wrong?”

His voice wouldn’t work, and he was afraid he’d cry more, so he shook his head sharply.

Hannibal pulled the younger boy closer to himself, breathing in. He smelled sex. His eyes narrowed as the smaller body trembled beside his. Will yanked his arm away, starting to walk away again. This time, Hannibal walked beside him, holding his arm tightly like that would keep him from running away. He slowed to a stop. “Will?”

“What?” The teenager finally snapped, fresh tears in his eyes as he glared up the older boy. His butt ached, and he felt something sliding down his thighs, he didn't want to contaminate anyone with his how disgusting he was. he felt so dirty. “I need to go home.”

“My apartment is closer, Will. You can clean up there. It will be easier for you than to walk home like this.”

Will’s bottom lip quivered, and he started to cry. He knew that it wasn't a secret anymore. Hannibal pulled the younger man into a hug, petting his head gently, but Will knew it wasn't because he thought he was an animal. “It will be okay. Come now, I’ll give you a new set of clothes. I'll wash those.”

Will allowed himself to be led to his home. It was a short walk, which made Will happy. It was then realized that he was probably going to get yelled at for not going home right away. Instead he allowed himself to be invited inside of the cozy looking apartment. Hannibal turned on a warm shower, and he set out clean clothes and a towel. He placed a body soap, a wash cloth, and shampoo in it and sent Will inside.

He decided to make dinner.

Will would be his guest.

Hannibal was finished preparing the meal when Will finally got out the shower. Hannibal asked Will to sit at the table while he collected the dirty articles of clothing and put them in the washer. He frowned when he saw the blood and semen in the boxers.

Will seemed dazed, skin a painful looking pink, like he had rubbed himself raw.

“Will?” His gentle voice made the boy jump. “Would you like to eat dinner with me?”

“I don’t want to impose. I- I should get going-” As soon as Will stood, he stiffened, like he had tried to stand too fast. Hannibal placed his hand on Will’s shoulder, carefully sitting him down once again.

“Please, eat with me. I promise it will be nice.” He whispered soothingly. He set the table, and he took the food out and glanced over Will’s face. He put a serving on Will’s plate and poured him a glass of wine. “Tell me, what happened that made you so upset, Will?” He sat across from the younger male.

“Nothing.” Will mumbled. “I’m sorry. I’m not much for company. I really should get going.”

“Stay and eat, I’ll drive you home. Maybe I can say hello to Doctor Chilt-”

“No! No, no, you don’t want to talk to him!” Will was trembling. “I’ll tell him you said hello.”

“You didn’t?”

“I- I did but I didn’t tell him your name.” Will looked down. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. You did nothing wrong.” Hannibal said softly, taking a bite of his food. “You should hurry and eat, Will, before it becomes cold. Tell me how it tastes?” Will took a bite. He tried not to look too surprised as he let a smile fall onto his lips.

“It tastes amazing.” Will finally let down his guards, relaxing as Hannibal talked and joked. Will felt more at home than he had in a long time, and he even let Hannibal kiss his hand while he told him a story. Hannibal’s lips barely touching his knuckles, like he was some sort of princess. And then the evening wore on, Will drinking more wine, and Hannibal talking to fill in the silence and to comfort the boy. Finally Will looked at the clock and let out a groan. The older male stopped, going to take the freshly cleaned clothes out of the dryer and putting them in a bag. He couldn’t help but like the way his clothing smothered the smell of Chilton.

“Can you drive me home? Man, Chilton is gonna be pissed off when he sees me. Ugh, he’s probably gonna hit me. Did your parents hit you? It sucks. Its worse when he’s horny. Dumb bastard can’t keep his hands to himself-” Will paused and then looked frightened. “Y-you won’t tell anyone right? You can’t. Promise you won’t say anything-”

“I would never do anything to make you upset, Will.” Hannibal answered though he was not surprised at the drunken confession.

“He said he’ll put me in his mental hospital if I ever do anything to hurt his reputation.” Will stopped, his eyes watery as he wiped at them. Hannibal felt a slight aching. “He can do that. He works there. He’s my guardian. He can arrange for me to stay there forever. And he’ll still get to do whatever the hell he wants with me.”

“Shush now, Will... I’m going to take you home.”

Will reached out and hugged Hannibal tightly. The older of the two looked surprised, but he let his arms wrap around the smaller frame, stroking his back gently. “Don’t make me go back there. I don’t want to go back there. Please don’t make me go back. You can hide me. Please, help me-”

Hannibal pressed his nose against Will's hair and breathed in, smelling his shampoo and body soap on the teenager, almost feeling possessive now. He almost wanted to dare Chilton to touch what was his. “You’re okay. I’ll see you everyday. I’ll do what I can to help you escape from him. But right now, I need you to be brave. I can’t help you at the moment. If I do, he’ll just take you away. We’ll wait a few more years when you can get away from him, and I’ll hide you from him forever.”

Will must have fallen asleep because when he woke up, he was in Hannibal’s arms. The two were at the door, Hannibal taking the key he had found and opening the door. “You’re awake? Here, let me take you to your room... Where?” Will drowsy pointed it out. Hannibal opened the bedroom door, and he laid Will down, the clothes loose and large on the teenager’s smaller body. The young man pulled the blankets up and placed a kiss on the sleeping boy’s forehead. He left the bag of clothing on the desk and locked the bedroom from the inside before he left.

When he came back to his own home, the young man wrote down the day’s events in his log. The he drank a whole bottle of wine before he fell asleep on the couch, classical music playing in the background.


	3. Punishment

The next day, Will woke up to pounding on his door.

He felt happy, hands reaching up to touch his forehead. He got out of bed, a stinging pain crawling up his spine. He answered the door to be crowded by his guardian. He was pushed back onto the bed, flinching as his nearly fell on his back with the amount of force that was used.

“Where did you go last night?” Chilton jabbed the boy’s chest. “When did you come back home? And why was your bedroom door locked? William, answer me right now.” Then his eyes widen, slapping Will harshly across the face. Will bit his tongue, tasting bitter blood in his mouth. “Whose clothes are those? I know for a fact that I did not buy those for you. They are much too large.” He grabbed the thin shoulders tightly, shaking the teenager. “William!”

“Leave me alone!” Will shouted, panicking. He felt dizzy and lightheaded. “Go away! I’m not some ten year old kid you can boss around anymore!”

This time Chilton’s eyes harden. Will shut up, knowing he had gone too far. He put his hands up between them, hoping to create some sort of distance between the two. His wrists were grabbed, and Chilton pushed the boy down on the sheets. “What did you just say to me?”

“I’m sorry! Don’t do this again. I’m sorry!”

Chilton reached down to pull at the sweats that Will had borrowed. He pulled them down to his ankles. Will squirmed as he received a sharp slap to the bottom. “You should know better than saying that to me, William. Does staying out at night make you think you’re mature? That you’re too grown up to have to listen to me?” Another sharp smack, and the boy was nearly reduced to tears. “Do you think you that I boss you around too much?”

“N- no,” Will whimpered as a finger was shoved into him. Tears dripping down his cheeks. “I- I’m sorry!” This time Chilton smacked his thigh, making him jump. He twisted his finger, watching as he forced small pained moans from the teenager. He waited until he hit Will’s sweet spot before he smacked his bottom again. Will started to sob, trying to move away though he was easily pinned down. Will bit into his arm, trembling.

“Don’t you dare talk to that boy again. And give those clothes back.” Chilton hissed. He continued to finger-fuck the sobbing, moaning mess until he came onto his blankets. Then Chilton stood up, looking mildly disgusted and still upset. “Clean yourself up and go to school. Come home right after school.” He left the room.

Will wiped his tears, feeling ashamed as he pulled the shirt off and threw it in a pile on the floor with the dirty blankets and pants. He would have to wash that when he got home from school. He then went into the bathroom to take a shower and clean himself up. Will got out of the shower and quietly put on his clothing before wandering down the halls. He decided to avoid his guardian as he left the house without saying good bye. He walked to school with a slight limp. Will went to his classes, dreading lunch. He didn’t want to look like he was avoiding Hannibal because none of this was his fault.

Hannibal had been kind.

And here he was, responding with childish fear. Will didn’t feel hungry, so he skipped the lunch line, and he went to sit down at his table. He sat down and took out the homework he had due today. Last night, he hadn’t had time to do any of it, and this morning, he was too uneasy to work on it. He was finishing the front page when Hannibal took a seat. He paused, looking over the younger boy’s face while he worked. “Hello, Will.”

“Hey, Hannibal.” He managed to speak up. He smiled at Hannibal.

“Did you have a good night?” Will’s lip twitched slightly but he forced the smile to stay on his face.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll bring your clothes tomorrow.” Will looked down now. “About last night... It can’t happen again. He doesn’t want me to-”

“What did he do this morning?” Hannibal’s voice made Will want to cry.

“He was upset that I didn’t come home after school. Then when he found out the door was locked, he was really angry. It took him a couple minutes to realize I was wearing someone’s clothes. He pushed me on the bed.” His head was bowed now. He wanted to press his hands over his mouth to keep the words from spilling out, but he felt like it was finally overflowing, drowning him with the terribly painful thoughts. “Pushed me on the bed and he hit me a few times before he forced his finger inside of me.”

Hannibal felt a hunger as his body grew warmer, and the sick thoughts in his head made him frown.

“He made me come by finger-fucking me.”

Hannibal's mind went blank, and he wondered what he should say.

He studied the pain in Will’s face, the shame. He had to test the waters. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not!” Will’s voice cracked a little, but he quieted himself up. “It will only get worse.”

“Introduce me to him.”

“Do you want him to rape me again?” Will asked, starting to cry softly now. “It hurts. I don’t want him to- I don’t want to give him any reasons to do that to me!”

"I'll scare him."

This made Will smile. "And then he'll claim I am insane and put me away."

"I won't let him." This time Hannibal leaned towards him and kissed him fully on the lips. Will frantically began to kiss back, seeming desperate and terribly lonely. “I’ll protect you, Will.” Hannibal whispered as soon as he caught his breath. Will whimpered into the second kiss before Hannibal stopped him and placed a kiss on his nose. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Will was comforted by this.

That day, when he went home, he believed fully in Hannibal’s promise.

Chilton didn’t even look at him.

Will dialed the number that Hannibal had slipped into his hand before lunch had ended. It rang once and then he picked up. Will glanced at the clock, realizing it was rather late. “Hello?”

“It’s Will...” He manage to speak though he felt his cheeks redden. 

“Will! Hello, my darling boy. How are you? Are you well?”

“Yes.” Will smiled, lying down on the bed and closing his eyes. “Thank you so much. I'm... I'm tired, but I don't want to go to bed.” Will rubbed his eyes, biting down on his lip to hold back a yawn. "I don't want to go to bed though."

“Do you still have my clothing?” Will hummed his answer. “Good boy. Can you put them on for me?”

“He’ll get mad.” Will squeaked.

“Put them on and go to bed. It will be alright. I promise you won’t have nightmares.” His voice made Will get up to find them. There was a few moments before Will cheered softly. “I’m going to go to sleep, Will.... Make sure you do soon. Sweet dreams...”

Will slipped them on, feeling safe and warm as he crawled into bed. As he laid down, he suddenly became hard thinking about Hannibal. Would Hannibal be a gentle lover and hold him afterward? Would he caress him and whisper sweet nothings? He palmed himself through the sweats, starting to let out little mewls and whimpers. He was becoming closer, thinking of how Hannibal would love him until he came in his boxers, face pink and body satisfied. He was sleepy but he still got up to clean himself up. Then he got back into bed and fell asleep, feeling content.

Chilton didn’t bother him that morning until Will had taken a shower and changed his clothes. Chilton found Will at the door, about to sneak off to school. “William.” The teenager tensed, looking back at his guardian who looked upset. “I acted rashly the other morning. I shouldn’t have hit you.” Chilton wrapped his arms around Will tightly before placing a kiss on his forehead. “I’m sorry. Come visit me in my office after school, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

He was patted on the head before he began his walk to school. He was frightened. He hoped that this after school visit would just be some mental thing. He hoped that it would be on actual business. He didn't want Chilton to touch him again so soon. He felt like if Chilton touched him, he would realize that Will had been touching himself just the night before.

School was painless that day. The bullies seemed to forget he was alive, and Hannibal made him lunch. He felt almost complete when Hannibal held his hand and pressed a kiss against the palm, making Will smile and hold back girlish giggles. During lunch, Will felt like he was hiding some sort of dirty secret, but it was also beautiful because his secret was Hannibal. Then the bell rang and in the midst of all the students going back to class, Hannibal pressed a kiss onto his cheek and said goodbye.

Will felt happy.

He felt like his day would be good.

But he soon forgot that his guardian wanted to see him at his office after school. Will went home and decided to try to bake the cookies that he and Doctor Chilton could never get right. He ended up on the phone with Hannibal the entire time being walked through how to create them step by step. When he was done, the cookies were perfect. He said good bye and put the cookies, still warm, on the rack to cool while he went upstairs to find his bag, so he could work on homework while he waited to show his guardian that he had finally made the treat right.

Doctor Chilton was more than upset as he came home. It was nearly two in the morning. He had not bothered to go home early, angry that he had been stood up by his ward. He went to the kitchen, wondering what smelled so sweet. As he walked in he saw Will head down on the table, homework scattered about and cookies in the glass case in the middle. He felt his eyes soften as he realized that those were the cookies that they were never able to get right.

He walked up to the sleeping form and coaxed him awake with soft pets and sweet mumbles. When Will lifted his head, he smiled warmly despite everything that the older man had put him through. “Hey! I was wondering when you’d get home... I finally got that cookie recipe right, did you see? You have to eat one! They taste just like the ones my mom used to make!” Will yawned, starting to get up. “I think I’m going to go to bed... Good night, Doctor Chilton.”

“Good night, William. Um... wait- on Sunday, I’m going out of state. A group of my colleagues are being taken to the California for two weeks... I was selected.” Chilton sounded almost shy.

Will looked more awake now. “Congratulations.”

“I can’t take you this time since you have school... Next time I get called on, I’ll make sure its during a break so you can come too...” The older man pet the boy’s head again. “We’ll have to talk more about this on Saturday... tomorrow... its like two in the morning.” Chilton smiled before he kissed Will’s forehead. “Good night.”

Will stumbled to his bedroom and crawled in, his face down against the sheets. In his sleep, he let out a small whine, mumbling Hannibal's name. He wanted more than anything to get fucked by the young man as he let out a tiny moan, becoming hard in his half sleeping thoughts. His whole mind, body, everything was so sexually active thanks to his guardian, and he knew it was wrong to get off on someone, but the thought of Hannibal in bed with him turned him on more than it should.

He really wished he knew how to shut up, or he could have been more awake.

Chilton clearly disliked the idea of his ward enjoying himself by thinking of another person. Will let out a sharp yelp as he woke up to Chilton squeezing his hard dick. “Who the hell are you thinking about?” He hissed, watching as Will turned defenseless and weak under his hold, whimpering and moaning. “William, who are you fantasizing about?”

“N- no one! I don’t know!” He lied, starting to cry. “I was sleeping- don’t!” Will muffled his moan as he was stroked roughly. He felt Chilton skillfully begin to jerk him off. “D- Doctor! Stop it, no, no don’t-” His hips bucked up trying to get some sort of friction as Chilton let go of him.

“Take off your clothes.” He demanded. “And sit in the middle of the bed.”

Will saw the clock. It was about five in the morning.

“Hurry up.” Chilton hissed. He watched as Will shakingly pulled off his clothing and went to sit in the middle of the bed. “Touch yourself.” Will felt his face heat up with shame and tears prickle at his eyes. He put his hand on himself, trying not to make any noises as he chewed on his lip. “I want you to make yourself come.”

Will trembled, hoping he could forced himself not to be hard. It didn’t work and looking at the corner of room where his desk was, where the cleaned clothes were still in the bag that Hannibal had washed for him only reminded him of why he was in that state and became harder. He tried to force Hannibal out of his head, but he couldn’t get him out and instead he decided to give himself the small pleasure of thinking of him.

He came easily.

Chilton kissed his forehead and left the room.

Will started to cry bitterly as he realized he was being used for Chilton to jerk off.

The teenager took a shower and cleaned his room up just enough to look nice before going to kitchen. There was no sign of his guardian. He decided to eat out at a diner this morning, knowing most would be open. He snuck out and went to the nearest one. He was seated by himself in a booth by the waiter, a few people scattered throughout the whole place. Just as he relaxed he saw Jack Crawford walking in. He turned away, trying not to gather his notice but it was too late and Crawford took a seat beside him.

The waiter took their orders of breakfast. Crawford had eggs and sausage and a cup of coffee while Will had pancakes with a hot chocolate. They sat in silence before Crawford smiled at Will. “So, William, what in the world are you doing here so early? It’s barely six thirty. Shouldn’t you be at home with Doctor Chilton?”

“I didn’t want to wake him because he came home from work late last night, and the maid’s day off is today. I decided to get breakfast before I went to school.” Will lied smoothly. He offered Crawford a toothy smile. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at home?”

“Wife is sleeping. I left a note, and I have to go to work early because we’re pretty sure another murder is going to happen this morning. You better be careful, William. He’s going after teenagers. He cuts them up, but he always makes sure to keep their face intact. He’s only picked expectantly beautiful people.”

Will scoffed. “Thanks for the compliment.”

"I am serious. I don’t want to break Chilton’s heart because I didn’t warn you.”

The teenager just laughed. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”

It was about seven when they both left, Will rejecting the ride that Crawford had offered him. Will knew that it would bad because they were going completely different ways, and he didn’t want to be a burden. So Will walked to school. His phone rang, and he picked it up. “Hello?”

“Will?” Hannibal’s voice was worry.

“Yes? What’s wrong?” Will smiled as he walked.

“Where are you?”

“Walking to school,” He answered. “Did you hear about the murderer or something? Jack Crawford ate breakfast with me, told me about it, and he offered me a ride. You aren’t worried about it, are you? Don’t worry about it! Nothing is going to happen to me. He said he only picks up pretty teenagers.”

“You’re beautiful, Will.” Hannibal sighed. “I don’t have morning classes today, would you think about skipping school to spend the day with me?”

Will felt his heart jump. “I think that would be amazing.” He whispered but then he stopped. “But... If Chilton finds out, he’ll be pissed. Look, I don’t want to risk it... But he’s going on a trip on Sunday. He’ll be gone for two weeks for some conference on the West Coast. He decided not to take me with him because its during school.” Will felt himself smile again. “Maybe you can come and stay with me for a few days?”

“When he leaves, you should come and stay with me.” Hannibal corrected. “You should hurry along then, get to school and stay inside. I’ll see you at lunch- I made you something.” Will smiled again as they said their goodbyes, and he went to school feeling endlessly happy.

Lunch was perfect, like always. He just wondered if Hannibal was doing this out of pity, taking him in and sheltering him after he found out what had happened to him. Will wondered how much Hannibal knew about his life, how much he gave away in his drunken rants or appearance. He would ask, but he was scared of the answer. Instead, he decided to enjoy the time he spent with him.

They ended lunch with a quick kiss on the lips before Hannibal left, and Will stumbled through the day with a happy smile. When he got home that day from school, he went to his room and laid down. He spent the rest of the evening until Chilton called on him on the phone with Hannibal talking about little things. He managed to stay away from Chilton, and he went to bed early.

The next morning, Chilton met him in the kitchen. Even though they both had the day off, they still got ready like they usually did in the morning though they often ended up lazing around all day. “Hello, William.”

“Hey, Doctor Chilton.” Will smiled a little as he made some hot chocolate. “What’s up?”

“We need to talk about rules now that you’re older.”

Will tried not to look annoyed. “What do you mean rules? I’ve lived with rules my whole life.”

“Well now that you’re a young man... You’ll want to do reckless things.” Chilton looked uncomfortable now as he shifted from leg to leg. He sat down and motioned for Will to do the same thing. He did. Will glance over his guardian's features. “I trust you. But this recent... event has me doubting you. You aren’t allowed to stay out past eight. When the clock says eight, you better be inside this house. When you want to go out somewhere, you have to tell me. If you’re planning to do anything, I want to know. I’m going to be gone for two weeks. I better not hear about house parties.”

Will laughed now. “I don’t have any friends.”

“You’re likable and easy. Don’t let someone have their way with you.”

Will glared at Chilton. “I guess you need to back off then.”

Chilton smiled a little. “For the next two weeks, you are not allowed to leave the house other than school. The maid, however, wanted to take a vacation. Apparently her family is having problems. She’ll take house calls if you need something, but I’m going to have to ask you to fend for yourself these next two weeks. Don’t forget, keep me informed with what you’re doing. I have a dinner with my colleagues tonight in preparation for Sunday. I’m packing tomorrow and getting things ready for you in the morning. I’m going to leave in the evening. I’ll try to give you some special attention though, William.” He kissed Will on the lips before leaving the room.

The teenager wiped his lips and went into the living room.


	4. Cherish

The first time Chilton had touched Will was last year. He had been fifteenth years old. Back then, their relationship was sweet and simple. There was nothing strange about it other than the fact that sometimes Chilton would wake Will screaming from a nightmare or the sessions they had together. They ate dinner together nearly every night, and Chilton was more or less a good father figure. He asked about his day, and when Will was a child, he took him to the park as often as he could. Some weekends, Chilton and Will would disappear to their lake house that Chilton had bought when he found out that Will loved to fish. When Will was sick, Chilton looked after him. If anyone bother Will, Chilton stuck up for him, and he protected him from his colleagues. Will was protected. Life was easy.

And then Will hit puberty.

The two were eating dinner when Will suddenly excused himself, feeling his pants tighten. It had happened once, but he had been in bed. Will went up to his room and touched himself for the first time. The last time, he had been too scared to do it. Unknown to him, Chilton had heard every little moan that came out of his mouth.

Soon the doctor found himself completely fascinated with his little ward.

It was sad the first time Chilton had sex with Will. He had grabbed his wrists and leaned in to press a kiss on his lips. Will had always been protected from sex. He was a sheltered, innocent boy who at first had no idea how sex between people worked. Will had struggled to pull away, frightened at Chilton's aggressiveness. Then he was half carried, half dragged into the bedroom, Chilton's bedroom, where he was deflowered. Forced on the bed and teased relentlessly and then used like a whore more than once that first time. There very little love or passion, just lust for the youthful slender body. That was a night he had lost his innocence and emotional connections with the older man.

Will cried for a long time.

The teenager hadn't realized he had fallen asleep until he woke up with tears in his eyes. Will frowned and forced himself up. He curled up in the armchair, Chilton's favorite, and cried for a while. He cried for everything that had happened, for losing his mother to death and father for leaving. He cried because now he was making himself believe he had something with Hannibal.

Finally he pulled himself together enough to take a shower. The teenager dialed Hannibal's number and smiled as he heard the accented voice. "Hey,"

"How are you today, Will?"

"Well... I'm just sitting around." He sniffled a little.

"Oh? I'm holding a dinner party tonight."

"Really?"

"Yes. Actually Doctor Alana Bloom asked me host it. She was originally going to hold it, but she must have believed I was better suited. I think its the party that Doctor Chilton is going to attend, for the group that is going out of state?"

"Y-yeah. Are you going to host it at your apartment?"

"Oh no- I am going to borrow Doctor Bloom's kitchen. Speaking of which, you should come."

"I- Doctor Chilton will be upset..."

"You can meet Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier. It'd be a fine experience! Ask him, tell him that the host invited you. I'm sure Doctor Bloom has told the rest of the guest that I'll be hosting it."

"Okay... I'll call you back,"

"Of course, darling."

Will started to walk down the hall, pausing outside the door. He was just about to enter the room when he heard him shout in frustration. "What do you mean you handed the duties off to Mr. Hannibal Lecter? No! You know how much I- yes, yes, dislike that boy."

He flinched. He walked into his guardian's office trying not to make too much noise. "Um, Doctor Chilton..."

"Yes, Alana... he does? Put him on the phone."

"Doctor-" Will’s voice cracked a little.

"Hold on." Chilton put his hand up to motion Will's silence.

Chilton waited to hear the younger man's voice on the phone, almost seeming to hold his breath. He exhaled only when he heard the voice: "Doctor Chilton?"

"Yes?"

"May I request the attendance of your ward, William Graham?" Chilton’s tensed up turning to look at said person who in the room with him. “It would be honor to dine with him.” His voice was so calm. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy the meal, I have cooked for him prior to this.”

“Really now?" Chilton bit back his words "He shall join us then. I guess I’ll need to buy him a suit.” Will was panicking as Chilton said his goodbyes before turning to glare at the teenager who stood before him. Will started to back out, knowing that whatever he did would be considered wrong. “William.”

“Yes?”

“You have spoken with Mr. Hannibal Lecter.” His voice was hard.

“Yes.” Will knew better than to lie.

“Who gave you permission to speak to him?”

“No one, sir.” He whispered, lowering his eyes in submission. “I’m sorry.”

“If I ever hear of you speaking to Mr. Hannibal Lecter again, you will be severely punished.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young boy winced as Chilton kissed his forehead. “You belong to me. You will never leave me. I don’t want to hear Hannibal’s name leave your mouth after this night. If I find out you’ve been seeing him...” Chilton’s eyes darken, and he placed a kiss on Will’s cheek. “You will regret ever meeting him.”

Will’s eyes went to the floor again.

“Come now, I need to buy you a new suit.”

“Yes, sir.” And Will followed him out of the office. When they came back to the house, Will was carrying a bag with his new clothing. He tried to hurry to his room, but he failed to get there. Chilton put his arms around Will’s waist, kissing his neck. Will trembled as Chilton pulled at Will’s belt. Hands moving up to unbutton the shirt. “We have to go now, Chilton!”

“Then let me help you change.” His hands slipped into Will’s pants, making him let out a weak whimper. Then Chilton helped Will change like he had not done a thing. Will fixed his clothing. He combed his hair and smiled in the mirror before he went to go with his guardian who stood at the door. The drive was quiet. When they finally came to the house, Will realized he had never met any of his guardian’s colleagues. He felt unnerved. Chilton fixed Will’s tie, making sure he looked presentable before he smiled, almost making Will’s heart ache, like a sad reminder of how much he loved his guardian before the first time he was raped.

“I’ll introduce you to everyone, so you don’t have to worry.” Chilton sighed, regretful. “I should have taken you to these when you were younger, so you wouldn’t feel so awkward. I’m sorry. It’s best to greet the host first. So we’ll go up to Doctor Bloom and Mr. Lecter.”

Will walked in with Chilton, trying not to look too out of place. Hannibal and Bloom were already greeting guest, smiling politely and shaking hands. As soon as Hannibal saw Will, his eyes brighten. He tapped Bloom on the shoulder and motioned towards the two men.

Doctor Chilton met them halfway, Will hurrying to keep up with his guardian. “Doctor Bloom! Its wonderful to see you, how have you been?” He kissed her cheek, then turning to Hannibal, a firm handshake. “And Mr. Hannibal Lecter. It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen you. Last time we've been in the same room together, you were so young. How have you been? Well, I hope.” He then turned to Will, grabbing his arm and pulling him forward. “I’ve introduced you both to my lovely ward, William Graham. He’s the little boy you met a few years ago, remember? He’s all grown up.”

“Hello, Doctor Bloom.” Will shook her hand before he turned to Hannibal. “Hannibal... H- hi.”

Hannibal laugh and pulled him into an embrace. “You should come to these more often, Will.”

“I- I’m not much for company.” Will stuttered, face turning red. Chilton tried not to look too annoyed before he smiled at Bloom.

“Doctor Chilton, I’ll introduce Will to the rest of the guests.” Hannibal smiled before he took Will’s arm.

“Isn’t he such a good boy?” Bloom giggled, smiling at Chilton who offered her a half smile.

"Course.” Chilton nodded. He and Bloom went to speak to the rest of the group who would be going on the trip. Hannibal seemed to have no problem with formalities and introductions. He swept Will off his feet, finding couples or groups of single men and women. There were at least twenty people there. Will was introduced as: “William Graham, Doctor Chilton's lovely little ward.”

The people were very friendly though more than once they had offered to help guide him through any psychiatric problems he had. Hannibal had kindly rejected their offers for Will and led him away. Finally, Chilton caught up to them and told Hannibal that Bloom wanted him to help with the beginning words before the meal. The young man, not even twenty two, had the honor of co-hosting the party. Will watched as Hannibal nodded, and he left the two to find the hostess.

Within a few minutes, everyone gathered around the table. Hannibal stood at the head, Alana Bloom beside him. She had forced Chilton to sit beside her. Will sat beside his guardian. “Good evening.” He greeted. The guest nodded. “I was asked by my dear friend and mentor Doctor Alana Bloom to help her plan this party. Before I knew it, she was thrusting this responsibility into my arms.”

She blushed as the guest chuckled.

"My teacher is also amongst us; Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier, she was the one who told me to take it. She said it would help me get ahead. That attending more of these parties will hopefully start my career before I even finish her class.” He paused as he heard his teacher huff, the people around her smiling. “But I would like to thank Doctor Frederick Chilton for bringing his ward, my close friend, William Graham. And to the rest of you, thank you for attending.”

He turned to Bloom. She smiled at her colleagues who were seated. "Most of you, I am sure, recognize our young host, Mr. Hannibal Lecter. Thank you. And to the rest of us, taking time out of our busy lives to lecture across the country!"

The two sat as their guest clapped politely. Hannibal and Bloom both sipped the glass of wine in front of them before taking the first bites of the evening. The rest followed their lead.

Will realized he was not meant to keep this sort of company as he glanced to his guardian who almost immediately fell into a calmness and charmed tone chatting with the guest around him in a friendly manner. Most were teasing him about hiding Will from them while others questioned him on bringing him out into the public so suddenly. More than once he forced Will to join a conversation, showing off how awkwardly shy and flustered he was. Of course, in his own, managed to charm many of the guests.

After things were done, and most of the guests were gone, Chilton went to say thanks and to dismiss himself and his ward. Will found himself alone with Hannibal before he could follow his guardian to Bloom.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Hannibal asked. He brought his hands up to fix the younger man's tie.

"I'm not good at this sort of stuff." Will answered, trying not to look too ashamed. Will glanced up, about to say something when Hannibal pressed his lips against Will's. The older of the two smirked as he heard the soft, needy groan. Will wrapped his arms around Hannibal’s neck, deepening the kiss while Hannibal put his hands on Will’s hips, leaning back against the wall. Just as they were starting to make out, Chilton and Bloom turned the corner to see the two young men.

“William!”

Will jumped a little, but Hannibal kept his hands firmly planted on the slender hips. “Chilton-”

“What in the world do you think you’re doing?” Chilton grabbed Will’s arm. This time, Hannibal removed his hold on Will for a moment to put his hand on Chilton’s arm. “Mr. Lecter?”

“He can like who he wants, can’t he?”

“I’m his guardian, and this relationship is unacceptable!”

“Hannibal, let go of that boy!” Bloom sounded annoyed, almost motherly. “Come here this instant and apologize to Doctor Chilton, you invited his ward just to take advantage of him.”

Hannibal seemed slightly amused, but he let go, quickly placing a kiss on Will’s forehead before the teenager was dragged away by the man. Hannibal looked towards Bloom who glared at him. Hannibal almost looked sad as he heard the door slam. He paused a moment, glancing towards Bloom with an unreadable expression. “I think I’m in love.” Was all Hannibal said before he turned away to clean the kitchen.

Bloom’s eyes widen, and she couldn't help the smile that grew on her face as she looked towards the door Will and Chilton had left through. She honestly hoped that Chilton would let his ward see her dear friend again.


	5. Sorrow

Will flinched, Chilton's grip on his arm was so tight. The older man unlocked the front door, pushing Will in front of him before throwing him to the floor. The teenager landed on his knees, glancing over his shoulder back up at Chilton. Will had already expected something to happen, but he had thought it would be the bedroom. Will tried to scramble away, on his hands as his knees, as he heard the belt buckle being taken off. He let out a sharp yelp as he was spanked with it. Chilton had never hit him with a belt.

The teenager was already starting to sob as Chilton pressed his foot against his back, forcing him onto his stomach, before grabbing his arm and making him to turn him over. Chilton started to pull down his pants, only stopping to pull down Will’s and making him get on his knees too. “What did I say?” Chilton hissed into his ward’s ear, leaning over him. Will's sobs became louder. “What did I say about Hannibal, William?”

"I- I’d regret-” Will yelped as Chilton pinched his nipple. He let out a low moan as his guardian touched him, and he let out a shout when he felt something against his entrance. He wasn’t even prepared. His legs began to tremble as he tried to dig his nails into the rug for some sort of support. He closed his eyes tightly, tears still making their way down his pale face. “No, no, please, Doctor Chilton! No... I won't talk to him anymore, please!”

“It’s too late, you nasty little whore. You’d throw yourself at anyone.” Will bit down on his lip as he tried to stop his moaning as Chilton stroked him roughly, teasing him. “See? You can’t even control yourself. Hannibal is a good kid. Why would he want some dirty used up bitch when any respectable woman would swoon over him?” Will bucked his hips, eyes wet with tears and body starting to shake with how needy he was becoming.

Will bit down on his lip, trying to brace himself, but all he did was tense up. Chilton tried to get as far in as he could with a single thrust. Will screamed. His whole body aching and tearing, and he felt something warm starting to run down his leg as his blood worked as a lubricant.

Will fainted.

The teenager woke up in a strange room. It was dark. He could hear soft voices mumbling, and the three walls in his vision were stone, a single toilet and sink with an empty desk. He felt tears well up in his eyes, scared to turn around. He forced him to look though.

It was a glass wall with a chair set up in front of it. He quickly looked down at his clothes, realizing he was in a navy jumpsuit, freshly washed.

He started to cry as he turned around completely with a sharp pain, realizing it was not a nightmare.

"No." Will was beginning to hyperventilate. He jumped up, hands skimming over the glass, trying to find a way to open it. He could barely see through the tears running down his face. "Doctor Chilton?" His voice cracked. "P-please, don't do this, please, no, no." He started to pound his fists against the glass. "Chilton! Chilton, please! Let me out, please, please, please! I'm so sorry- I'm so, so, so sorry! Please, I'm sorry! Chilton, don't do this to me, I'll do anything! I- I'm scared, please, stop it."

He didn't even realize his fists were bleeding.

Finally his legs gave out, and he fell to the ground. He tried to wipe away the tears on his face, but he only managed to smear blood onto his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around his knees as he sobbed, starting to rock himself back and forth. "Please, no, please. I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy- I'm sorry! Chilton! Chilton... please..."

He passed out on the floor.

Will opened his eyes, the white lights were on, and he was back on the single bed in the cell, hands bandaged.

He ripped the bandages off, anger swelling up and making him feel like he did belong here, like he was insane. He hit the wall, uncaring to how much his hands hurt. He covered his face with his hands before sinking to the floor again. He crawled under the bed, dragging the blanket under with him.

He felt so much safer.

He couldn't sleep though.

He watched for any movement, but it was unrealistically quiet. He could hear his own breathing, his own heart beat. Then he heard a loud clanging noise, making him jump a little. He trembled, trying to hide under the blanket as he watched the feet come to the front of the cell.

"William?"

Will let out a choked sob, crawling out from under the bed. He was on his knees as he looked up at Chilton who stood on the other side of the glass.

"William... How are you?"

"P- please, let me out." Will knew that tears were already slipping down his face. He pressed his bloody hands against the glass, reaching out to Chilon. The older man was looking down at him, unmoving. "I wanna go home. Please, let me go with you. I'll be a good boy- I'll do anything you want. I don't want to stay here forever! Chilton, please, I wanna go home with you!"

Chilton let his hand touch the glass as well. He leaned forward, the most gentle of smiles on his face: "You know I love you, William."

Now Will was hysertical, sobbing and screaming, Chilton had taken a step back. "No! No!" The realization that he may be left here only made things worse. "Don't leave me! Chilton! Chilton, no! Come back, please, come back! Don't leave me, please!"

Chilton tilted his head, staring at the sobbing teenager before he clapped his hands. It must have been a singal because the door opened.

Within a few moments, Will was jumping into Chilton's arms. The man smiled as the teenager began to press messy kisses all over his face. Then Will pressed his head against the man's shoulder and cried his heart out, thanking him and begging for forgiveness.

Chilton had won.

He took Will home. The teenager clung to him, unwilling to let go for even a moment, like he was scared someone would snatch him and put him back in the cell.

He seemed to have forgotten that Chilton was the one who put him in favor of remembering that Chilton had taken him back out.

When they got back into the house, Will was still hanging onto Chilton. When the doctor begin to take the suitcases downstairs, Will started to whimper softly. The older man merely smiled. "William, I have a plane to catch, you do realize that, right?" Will nodded frantically though he wouldn't let go Chilton's arm yet.

"You'll come back for me?"

"Of course I will, dear. I love you. I'll come back in two weeks."

Will was crying again. "You have to come back. Don't leave me. Please, please don't leave me again."

Chilton pressed a kiss into the head of curls and smirked softly. "I'll be back because I would never leave you, William. You're mine, okay?"

"Yes." Will nodded, seeming to calm down again.

"I have to go now." Chilton was leaving again already. "I'll see you soon. I will call you as soon as I land."

"Okay," The teenager let Chilton pressed a soft kiss on his lips. He kissed back. "You won't leave me?"

"I promise."

Will seemed relieved. "Good bye."

"Good bye, love."

And Chilton was gone.

The curly haired teen stood there at the door for a few moments. He glanced out the window, and he watched Chilton leave. He grabbed his glasses which were on the counter. As soon as he placed them on his face, Will began to cry again, pulling at his hair as he let himself fell to the floor. He looked around the room from his knees. "I'm at home- I'm not in the cell. I'm in the living room. I'm at home" His hands ached as they clenched. He slowly released his grip, looking down at them before hitting them against the floor. He felt like he was still in a box with a glass front so the world could watch him. He felt like maybe he was as crazy as everyone claimed. "I'm at home. Doctor Chilton won't leave me there- he promised he won't, he promised."

He held his knees to his chest on the floor and let himself cry.

Will only sat up when he finally cried himself dry. He went into the restroom and washed his face before going to find his phone. He had one miss call and a voicemail.

It was from Hannibal.

He was shaking so badly.

Will didn't want to call him back, but he was so drawn to do it. He wanted to hear Hannibal's voice. He wished to beg him to come over, to hold him, to comfort him.

He put his phone down, and he went into the bathroom and vomited.

His phone began ringing, and he looked at the caller ID. It was Hannibal. He began to dry heave, unable to produce tears. He let it ring. Then he threw up again.

Finally he picked up the phone, and he called him back.

"Will?" The young man's accented voice was thick with worry and guilt. Will felt a deep pang in his chest, and he wondered what he do without him. He had only been in Will's life for a short while, but he felt like Hannibal was apart of him. He bit his lip, body aching as it reminded him that he wasn't born to be happy. He wasn't born to enjoy life. He was born to be Chilton's puppet. He was never meant for anything more. If he had been, his mother wouldn't have died, and his father wouldn't have given him up. He would have never ended up in Chilton's hands.

"Hannibal?" He sounded so broken.

"Oh, Will. I'm so sorry. Are you alright, darling?" His voice was so soothing, Will wanted to just lay down and listen to him talk until he felt better.

"W- we can't... I can't talk to you anymore." Will felt so numb as the words left his mouth, hanging up because he didn't want to know what Hannibal would say to him, whatever it was, Will would have held on to. Will would have listened, did anything Hannibal asked, so he knew that he couldn't listen to him.

The teenager laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He missed six calls and each with its own voicemail from Hannibal.

He thought that he couldn't cry anymore, but it ended up that he could.

He cried himself into a fever, unable to listen to any of them, and he fell asleep.


	6. Comfort

Hannibal was not one for uninvited house visits. He was polite, mature, and he knew when he was no longer wanted around. He dislikes rude people. He felt nervous, felt it somewhere, but it did not show on his completely calm face as he rang the doorbell. He fully expected to be sent away or the door to be slammed in his face. He should have known better than to act so rashly, to act on feelings like he did last night when he kissed Will. He should have known better. Now he was facing the consequences for being so stupid. He felt stupid. He hated it.

The door opened, and Will stood before him. The younger man looked sick, face flushed and eyes red and puffy like he had been crying. Will tilted his head, looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to apologize for the trouble I caused you." Hannibal felt a lump in his throat, but his voice was relaxed, careful, barely showed any emotion at all.

"You have to go." Will's eyes had harden a little, but he was biting his lip harshly like he was conflicted about what was happening. "You can't be here. If Chilton finds out-"

"I won't let him." If Will knew what kind of emotion that Hannibal was hiding, he would have heard the hint of desperation in his voice.

"He will! He always does." Will reached out to pull the door shut. Hannibal's body reacted on its own, grabbing it tightly, not allowing it to be closed. Hannibal wished he could control himself. He was so sure that he could stop himself, but Will made thinking impossible.

Hannibal forced himself to let go, pulling away. "I'm sorry."

The teenager bit his lip, grabbing Hannibal's arm to pull him inside. Then the curly haired teen closed and locked the door. "Chilton locked me up. He put me in a cell for a night. I... I just got out." Hannibal felt a deep hatred boiling up in his chest. He had tried not to make a habit of killing. He had become very good at the random killing every couple months. He had been doing it for years, but he was still yet to be caught. And now he wanted to break the pattern with Chilton. Chilton would be the first to be selected based on something, someone, Will. "I keep thinking back to everything, Hannibal, and I was... begging. I was on my knees begging for him to let me out. I was screaming and crying." Hannibal's eyes went down to Will's hand which was now on his arm. "I feel like I traded my pride to be let out of that place!"

Hannibal pulled the boy into his arms. He had nothing to say. He couldn't say anything.

"Take me away from here. Please, let's run away." Will was trembling horribly. "I want to leave."

Hannibal pressed his lips against Will's forehead. Big, pale eyes looked up at him, and he felt so protective. He wanted to kill Chilton. He didn't even want to eat him. He wanted to feed Chilton to a group of dogs. That was all Chilton was, dog food. He wasn't good enough to be served on Hannibal's dinner table.

"You'll take me away, right? I want to leave, right now, please, let's leave." Will began to tug on Hannibal's hand. The young man reached down to take Will's hand in his own, pressing his lips to his knuckles.

"I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

Will looked relieved, smiling. He wrapped his arms around Hannibal's neck, and he let Hannibal draw him up, lifting him up and carrying him to the couch. He sat down, allowing Will to move around in his lap. Will turned to rest his head against Hannibal's shoulder, eyes wandering up to the bigger build. Will felt completely safe as Hannibal held him.

Then his phone started to ring, causing Will to jump a little. He reached down to pocket, fingers brushing against Hannibal's thighs before he brought the phone to his ear, not bothering to look at the caller ID now. "Hello?"

"William Graham?"

"Yes."

"This is Brian Zeller. I was told by Jack Crawford to escort you to a dinner this evening at eight."

"What? I- I already have plans!"

"Cancel them." Zeller hung up. Will huffed, turning to look at Hannibal who seemed curious. Will turned around, facing him and moving his body again, not really realizing he was now straddling the sitting man under him. Hannibal, however, was acutely aware of their positions.

"Some guy called Brian Zeller says I'm supposed to go to a dinner tonight at eight. He said something about Jack Crawford." Will's throat was mouth watering. Hannibal could have lost himself in that moment to bite down on it. He wanted to see the young man's blood. But instead he focused on Will's pouty lips. "I don't want to go and see those idiots."

"If it... makes seeing them worthwhile, I came here to apologize because I would be seeing you tonight, and I... did not want to start off this evening dinner with bad blood." Hannibal's eyes went back down to Will's lovely bared throat. His eyes flickered with forced disinterest towards the wall.

"You're coming too?" Will sounded excited, a smile on his lips now. He leaned forward, his crotch against Hannibal's stomach as he wrapped his around his neck in a hug. "I'm happy." Hannibal hated himself for noticing everything. But he gulped down everything and hugged him back. Then Will hopped off him like nothing and reached for his hand. "Let's go upstairs. I'll call that Brian Zeller back and tell him that we're going together."

Hannibal nodded, and he let Will drag him to his room.

Hannibal watched as Will packed his things, throwing clothes in a small suitcase along with a few personal items. He sat on the edge of Will's bed, noticing how deeply his things smelled of sex. He tried not to wrinkle his nose as he realized the sheets smelled of Chilton as well. "Do you sleep alone in your room?" The words were out before he really thought about it. Of course, he always sounded so thoughtful, so Will was going to assume that it had not just been blurted out.

"No." Will was honest. He was staring at the pants he was folding up. "Sometimes Chilton keeps me company." He glanced back towards Hannibal. "No one knows that but you."

"I would hope that no one knows. If everyone knew, and you were still under his guardianship, there would be something wrong with society."

"You won't tell, will you?" Will looked frightened. He put his things down and went to stand in front of Hannibal, looking painfully innocent.

Hannibal wondered when he became so impulsive. He grabbed Will's wrists in his hands and pressed kisses on his palms. The teenager blushed and let out a sweet moan before pulling his hands away. Hannibal searched Will's eyes, finding lust. He smiled to himself. "I wouldn't do that to you. I'm going to steal you away, remember, my dear Will?"

Will nodded, and he continued to pack his things.

Hannibal wasn't planning on giving Will back.

"What are we going to do when Chilton comes back?" Will's voice was quiet. "He'll kill me if he ever finds us. He won't let me leave. He'll have Jack Crawford and his agents hunt us down. And since you're like six years older than me..."

"I can take care of you." Hannibal promised. He could already see that Will was backing out of the plan.

"If we get caught, they'll take you away forever, and they'll make me stay with Chilton. He won't ever let me go after he realizes I tried to leave without his permission."

Hannibal's heart sunk. "Will..."

"I need you." Will whimpered. "I can't let them take you away."

"They won't catch us."

"He'll hire people to find us. We can't just disappear." Will looked at Hannibal with sad eyes. "Then Chilton will put a restraining order on you. And you'll have to stay away. He'll ruin your life." Will's bottom lip trembled. "I'll ruin your life. I'm so dirty."

_Hannibal is a good kid._

_Why would he want some dirty used up bitch when any respectable woman would swoon over him?_

Hannibal reached out, still sitting, holding Will's chin between his thumb and index finger before he pulled him in for a kiss. Will whimpered, moving up close on the older male before he was straddling Hannibal again. Hannibal moved his hands down to hold Will's hips steady, leaning back a little as their tongues danced together.

Will started to rub his growing erection against Hannibal's crotch, hoping to get some sort of friction.

Hannibal felt so angry with himself.

He knew better. He knew that he couldn't lay in bed with a boy. He couldn't take advantage of Will's fragile state of mind. He couldn't. Yet it was such a sinfully delicious pleasure he could lose himself to. He could, he would, but he knew he shouldn't. He flipped their positions, Will under him and mewling so beautifully as he pushed his knee between Will's slender thighs. He pressed another kiss against the sweet mouth before pulling away.

Will would be his doom.

"I can't." Hannibal's voice was hungry as he got up and backed away. He barely sounded controlled. Will smiled because he realized that Hannibal could hardly restraint himself. He could easily persuade him differently, and he knew he had that power. The teenager got up, putting his arms around Hannibal's neck as he got on his tippy toes to press a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "Will." His voice was strained.

He should have more self control than this.

Will would be his doom; there was no longer a doubt about that.

"Please, Hannibal..."

He would have devoured him then. His mouth opening slightly, but he stopped himself and instead buried his nose into Will's curls and inhaled his sweet scent. "Wait."

"Why? We're right here. I have so many secrets already. If you feel bad about taking me before I'm-"

"Don't use that word for us. I won't take you." Hannibal wrapped his arms around Will tightly, resting his head on Will's.

Will's face heated up, and he automatically felt ashamed of himself.

"I would never just take you. It has to be special." Hannibal's mouth was dry, and his tongue felt thick. He let go of the teenager. "You should call Zeller back and tell him you have a ride from one of the other guests." Will nodded, and he called the man back. It was nearly seven thirty.

"Zeller."

"Hey. Um... I have a ride." Will's voice sounded cheerful as Hannibal pressed a kiss against his forehead before going to neatly fold a few things for Will and put them in the suitcase. "I'm going to go with another guest."

"Who?"

"Hannibal Lecter." Will answered, trying to hide the smile in his voice.

"Oh, that guy. Okay. You two better show up and come see me as soon as you get here. I'll get in trouble if you don't show." He hung up again.

"So what is this dinner for?" Will asked, looking confused. Hannibal glanced back at him. He finished packing Will's things before he placed the suitcase on the ground, lifting up the handle and rolling it towards the door.

"Jack Crawford's team is getting old. Most teams only last a few years. Mental health, lost a lot of his men to insanity recently. I heard the murders are becoming more gruesome. He's already gathering a group of young people he wishes to work with in the future. It's like a congratulations dinner. Once he picks a group, he usually gets them. That Brian Zeller you spoke to is actually at the top of his class in his studies. I know a few people who are going. I suspect Jack knows about your gift."

"And why you?"

"I am... following in Doctor Alana Bloom's footsteps." Hannibal smiled. "We should be going now."

Will nodded, and they packed his things into the car. Will was planning to stay with Hannibal until Chilton came back. The teenager sat in the passage seat, holding hands while Hannibal drove them to the dinner party at Crawford's home. They were on time.

A young man with smoothed back hair, though noticeably unruly, was standing at the door in a button up white shirt and slacks. His tie was a tad bit messy and by him stood him a sweet looking Asian woman wearing a pretty dress. "Hey."

"Hi," Will blushed when he felt Hannibal move closer to him. He held out his hand though he was nervous. Hannibal gave him a gentle nudge. "I'm Will Graham."

"Brian Zeller." He mumbled, shaking his hand before turning to Hannibal. "Hey Lecter."

"Hello, Mr. Zeller."

"Beverly Katz." The young woman smiled, shaking Will's hand. "Nice to meet you, Graham." She turned to Hannibal, shaking his hand too. "Hello, Lecter."

"Miss Katz, always a pleasure." His smile was that of a gentleman. "If you will excuse us, I'm going to take Will to greet the host."

"Crawford is in the back with Bella." Brian said softly. "By the way, Graham, it was nice to put a face to the voice." His smirk made Will blush a little, laughing slightly.

Hannibal wanted to kill Zeller and feed him to the group.

Will was his.

"Mr. Hannibal Lecter!" Hannibal's eyes went up to see Jack Crawford. "And William Graham. It's nice to see you."

Will shook his hand, and he followed Hannibal's lead of introductions. He couldn't help but be jealous of the amount of grace that Hannibal had, easily creating a conversation, making sure to include Will almost effortlessly. It made Will almost look social.

Hannibal led Will around, introducing and greeting the other guests, all young men and women. Each specializing in a different profession but all at the top of his class. Will realized that he did not have any of the qualities the other guest had. But Hannibal fit in perfectly, smart, handsome, talented and accomplished.

Will was not as bright. He had no real talents, what made him stand out was his disorder. He had no social grace; he was awkward and clumsy. He stood out as the youngest. He was different, easily labeled as sloppy. The teenager stayed as close to Hannibal as possible, trying to blend into Hannibal's perfect clothing when the young man had to fix Will's tie at least twice.

He was so embarrassed. Of course, Hannibal seemed rather happy that he was needed. After all the guest were accounted for, Crawford sent everyone to the dining room. Will was happy that Hannibal was with him, so he didn't look as lost as he felt.

Jack stood at the front of the table, on one side, his wife and the other a man that they knew was not a student. "I would like to introduce my wife, Bella Crawford." She smiled. "And one of the members of my current team, Jimmy Price." The man had sheepish smile on his face, lifting a hand up in a wave. "Most of you should know why I'm inviting you to this dinner. Your studies, mentors and teachers have all recommended you to me. There was a lot of applications from different people, but I found you as the group I want in the near future. This a dinner to welcome you to apply to me when you are ready. I am excited to get to know you and work with you. Thank you." And then the night wore on after the meal, watching the entertainment and then being sent home.

"Have a good night, Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford." And then Hannibal took Will away. Neither bothered to acknowledge the stares when they got into the same car and drove away.

Beverly smiled at Brian, grabbing his arm and whispering: "They're totally together."

"Oh shush, Katz." Brian hissed. "Well, come on. I'll drop you off at your brother's." He got into his car, both ignoring the stares they were getting for getting into the same car. They had grown up together, best friends since preschool when they had first met. Of course, Katz was a tomboy then, she had beaten him up when they first met because they had been playing with wrestlers. Zeller had said that even though she got the better toy, he could beat her up in real life.

Hannibal let Will hold his hand as he drove him home.

The two took the things upstairs, both content with the silence. Then Hannibal helped Will unpack his things. “You can take the bedroom, I’ll sleep on the couch.” Hannibal said as he left the room. Will felt his face heat up before he got up to see Hannibal in the kitchen. That was where the older of the two felt most comfortable in the entire apartment.

“W- we can share the bed! I’d feel bad if I made you sleep on the couch!”

“I want you to feel comfortable. You’re my guest.”

“I want you to share the bed with me.” Will sounded more confident than he felt. Before Hannibal could answer, Will kissed him then he turned around and ran out of the room. The older of the two sighed, unsure whether he was surprised or confused, before leaning against the counter. After a few moments, he got up and walked back into the living room to see Will standing in front of a picture. It was the only picture in the house.

It was an old, worn picture, faded and bent in the corners. Hannibal was young, smiling with a baby girl in his arms, behind them stood a young man and woman, his parents. "Will."

"Y- yes?" Will spun around, looking embarrassed to be caught staring.

"That is the only picture I was able to take with me when I moved to America." Hannibal's voice was light, like he was being forced to have a conversation with someone. Like he was at the dinner party again. "The rest of the things were-"

"Stop." Will's voice cracked a little. "It's okay. I don't have to hear about them, Hannibal."

Will could have guessed their fate their already by the tone of Hannibal's voice. Hannibal looked surprised, but he smiled a little, almost looked relieved. The teenager hugged him tightly, burying his face against his chest like he didn't want to know, like he was sure this a dream. Hannibal cleared his throat. "Let's go to bed?" Will just nodded, letting Hannibal lead him into the bathroom where they both brushed their teeth. Will couldn't help but notice that everything Hannibal did he made look so elegant. He flossed his teeth, put on his night clothes, and he tried not to watch Hannibal while he did the same. But he did notice that when Hannibal slid the shirt over his shoulder, his body was as perfect as the rest of him.

Will felt so self-conscious.

Hannibal got into bed, watching as Will meekly went to lay down beside him. He chuckled as he realized that Will's face was pink. "Will?" Will turned to look at him after pressing his hands against his cheeks, trying to hide how red he was. "Are you alright?" He propped himself up on his elbows before reaching out to touch Will's forehead. "Do you have a fever?"

"No." Will managed though he choked a little on his words. "I'm fine." He smiled as Hannibal hugged him tightly, burying his nose in the brown curls. Hannibal wanted to regret meeting the younger man, regret meeting his doom, his downfall, but he found that any other way and it would have been tasteless.

At least he knew if there was a God, He had taste.

Will was the first to fall asleep.

Hannibal had lived many through many sleepless nights, and this would not be any different. He sat up and he quietly left the room. He went into his small office, and he turned on some classical music while he took out his journal, and he wrote a detailed entry of the day's events. Then he wondered if he would be able to kill Will Graham if it came down to things, and he needed to protect his livelihood.

He decided that Will's death would leave him empty. Killing Will was simply not a choice.


	7. Drawn

Will woke up curled up snugly beside Hannibal, an arm firmly around him. He was relaxed and safe against the stronger build. He knew he had to go to school, but he didn’t want to get up. After a few minutes of savoring his time in bed with the older man, he sat up, brushing a stray lock of curly brown hair from his eyes. As he looked down at his partner, he noticed how peaceful Hannibal looked while he slept, but he also saw the light shadows under the closed eyes. Will wondered if it was Hannibal’s family that put them there. He decided it was about time to get ready as he carefully slipped out of bed to go into the guest restroom which was in the small office.

He looked into the mirror, and he realized that the smiling fool was a person he didn't recognize. His smile vanished, and he reached out towards the mirror. He jumped back, forgetting he was a guest, that he would only dirty the glass. He came out feeling fresh and clean, in his school uniform.

“Good morning, Will.” Hannibal smiled when the younger of the two appeared in the living room. The host was already washed and dressed, nothing out of place. Will felt a blush creep up to his cheeks as Hannibal drew him close in his arms. The older man pressed a single kiss against the side of his face before turning back towards his place in the kitchen.

“Morning...” He followed Hannibal, sitting at the table. He felt useless as he waited to be served pancakes, a cup of orange juice sat beside his plate neatly on the table. It looked fit to photograph.

The curly brown haired teenager felt so out of place beside him. He was a mess, a stain while everything around him was put there with purpose or decoration.

When Will was done, Hannibal dropped him off at school. Will ignored the looks he got when Hannibal pressed a kiss onto his wrist before driving away, leaving him breathless and so happy.

Then his phone rang.

“Hello?” He recognized the number.

“William Graham?” The tone was annoyed, and Will did not recognize his voice though it was familiar.

“Yes?”

“Where are you? I’m supposed to drop you off at school.”

“May I ask who I am talking to?”

“Brian Zeller, remember? Doctor Chilton asked Crawford for someone to pick you up and drop you off at school everyday and since my school is just past yours, I just found out this morning that I’m the one who has to do it. So if you don’t mind, kindly get your bottom down here, so I can get you to school.”

“I’m already at school.”

“What?”

“I... I’m already here.” Will almost felt bad for this man. He nervously bit his tongue.“You don’t need to worry about picking me up or dropping me off, I can go home myself. I usually walk to school anyways-”

“Can’t do that.” His voice was sharp, making Will flinch. “I’m not dealing with some little high schooler’s bullshit of being too old to be babied. I’m too old to be bossed around, but I still listen to my superiors. Chilton thinks you need a babysitter, and Crawford thinks I deserve this punishment. I expect to see you at the front gates after school, I’m picking you up and dropping you off at home.”

Before Will could protest, Zeller hung up the phone.

Zeller called his friend. “Beverly?”

“Yeah, Brian?”

“He’s a cute goddamn brat.”

She giggled: “And you’re not a morning person. You running late again or can you get me a coffee?”

Will frowned as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and walked to class. He dropped his a book off at his desk before collecting a few things from his locker and leaving a few other things there. He made it through the morning without being bothered, but by the time his fourth hour came around, the bullies decided it would be funny to lock him in a closet.

He missed lunch, and Hannibal had said he'd make something special.

He missed his next two classes. He had a report and presentation due.

He didn’t have his phone with him; he left it in his locker.

He heard the last bell end, and he was still stuck in the dark room. It made him feel so alone, but he was safe from prying eyes. The tiny room was uncomfortable yet the tightness made him feel secure. It must have been like what normal people saw behind closed eyes.

He screamed himself hoarse because there were moments when he thought he was dead.

It drove him to the edge. He wanted to stay there, hiding, forever. Will nearly lost himself, wondering if he was even alive in the completely dark space or if he was trapped. Like he was a river of black water, and he couldn't swim.

Finally, the janitor opened to door, clearly not expecting the boy when he tumbled out of the mess. He was sent to the office. They asked for a parent-teacher’s conference, and when they found out that Chilton was out of state, they requested his baby sitter. But Will found himself calling Hannibal on the office phone, asking him to go home. Saying that he would be there as soon as he could, he'd explain everything later. Then Will went to the locker room to find his cell phone.

Three miss calls. He dialed Zeller’s number, one ring, two ring- “What the hell are you doing?”

“I... got held up.” Will flinched, waiting for the anger.

“What are you waiting for? Get down here.” There was clear annoyance, but he seemed more curious than angry with him at the moment. Will felt ashamed, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.

“I actually need an adult to come check me out. How old are you?”

“Twenty five. Did you get in trouble?” Now he sounded almost concerned.

“No. Do you want me to come meet you in the front?”

“It’d be best. I have no idea how to make my way around your campus.” He sighed, then he hung up. The teenager smiled a little when he saw Zeller walking towards him. He waved, unable to hide his almost cheery attitude as he greeted him with a handshake. Zeller put his hand on Will’s shoulder, and Will couldn't help but want Hannibal to be with him rather than this man. "Graham.”

“If we’re going to spend so much time together, just call me Will.”

Zeller seemed amused before gestured towards the school. “We better talk to the office then.”

The principal seemed determined to place the blame on Will, saying something foolish, anything really, to make Will look bad. Zeller, however, was even more stubborn than Will’s guardian. Although Zeller was forced to come, he completely backed Will. In the end, the principal apologized, and the attackers were the ones who got in trouble.

Will would thank his babysitter if he wasn’t too busy being embarrassed.

Finally, on the way home, at a stoplight, Zeller asked. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

Will shrugged, unsure if this man would take offense if he disagreed to eat with him.

They stopped at a small diner, and Zeller greeted a young Asian woman who was working there. She called herself Beverly Katz, who Will recognized as the woman at the dinner. Instead of ordering right away, Zeller smiled: "Remember this kid? Youngest one of all of us at the dinner last night, Bev. It’s Will.” Will forced a smile on his face as the man patted his back. He wondered if normal people touched each other so much.

"Already on first name bases? And I thought you called him a goddamn brat." She teased before turning to Will to smile.

He laughed. "You’re right about me not being a morning person. I wasn't prepared to pick him up. I just woke up when Crawford called and told me I had to take him to school."

"You must take a long time to get ready then." She grinned, poking his forehead. Will let himself relax a little, putting down his guard just enough to sit across from Zeller with a smile on his face. She left the two after they took their orders. The two sat without much use of words, simply the two eating while Katz would check upon every once and awhile. By the time the two were done Zeller looked serious. “Will.”

“Yeah?” Will drank some of his water.

“You do realize Chilton is going to want to hear about this?” He watched Will’s face pale a little. “I can just tell him there was a complication that I had to attend to during his absence.”

“How does he know already?”

“I had a meeting today. Crawford realized the reason I wasn’t present was because I was at your school with you. Bev tried to clear things up with it might be my own fault, but they called me and asked me. I can’t lie to their faces, Will. I told them I was asked to check you out. Crawford called Chilton to complain.”

“It's okay.”

“So what happened anyways?” Zeller sighed, resting his cheek against the palm of his hand.

Will looked embarrassed. “Nothing." Zeller gave him a sharp look, making Will bit his knuckle. "Some of the boys at school think its fun to bother me. A few of them... constantly bother me, and I can’t do anything about it. Last time I tried, I got beat up. I was walking down the hall when they grabbed my arms. I guess someone had stolen the key, so they locked me inside. I was in there for about three hours until the janitor opened it.”

Zeller’s eyes had narrowed, and he looked upset. “If you’re getting bothered at school, you have to tell someone. You can’t just... keep it to yourself.”

“No one listens to me.”

Zeller stood up, Katz quickly coming towards him and handing him the bill. He looked down before stuffing a wad of money in the book, nodding at Katz who smiled. He reached over to grab Will’s arm and more or less dragged him out of the diner. “You can’t just keep telling yourself that. Someone is going to take the time to listen to you. What you say matters. Look, kid, if they keep bothering you come talk to me. I... I'm no good with words, but I'll do what I can to help you."

Zeller dropped Will off at his home, and he left with a simple good night.

Will wiped his face clear of emotion before calling Hannibal, sitting at his doorstep, not wanting to go inside.

“Will?”

“Hannibal! My babysitter just dropped me off. I’m so sorry! Chilton didn’t tell me I had a babysitter or anything. I don’t know-”

“Why didn’t you come to lunch?” Will felt ashamed again.

“I got locked in a closet. I couldn’t get out.”

“Who locked you in a closet?” Hannibal’s voice had harden with anger.

“Just some kids from school.” It made Will feel so small.

“You’re at home, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to come pick you up.”

“Thank you.” Will felt tears form in his eyes. He had never really thought about how much his life sucked. He sunk down until he was sitting on the steps, putting his head down while his hands gripped fistfuls of his curly hair. He knew it was bad, knew that people were mean, but the way Hannibal acted... Like he was too precious to simply let others bully him. Like Will was worth more than what Chilton had paid for him, worth more than anything to let some kids from school hurt him. A choked sob erupted from his lips as he rocked himself. He had never dared to think he was worth anything.

And now he hoped desperately.

When Hannibal arrived, he got out of his car and pulled Will into a tight hug. He pressed kisses against Will's face and whispered sweet nothings to calm down the younger man who clung onto him like a lifeline, almost hysterical. Then Will was led into the car.

Neither had realized that Zeller had seen everything though the darkness hid Hannibal’s face.

The young man who watched wondered if he had to call this in, holding his phone in his hand. He looked up at the two in the car, down at his phone. He looked back up to see Will’s teary eyes and smile. It was much different than the cheerful grin he had received. He looked at the slightly younger man’s eyes, flashing slightly when he moved into the light briefly. It was so calm, so gentle. He watched the man wipe a tear from Will’s face before leaning in to press a kiss on his lips.

Zeller put the phone down, and he drove away.

“So what happened?” Hannibal asked as he drove them to his home. He didn’t expect an answer. Will shook his head, not wanting to talk about it. Hannibal just smiled a little. When they got home, Will’s phone rang. Will glanced at the caller ID, realizing it was Zeller. “Who is that?”

“My babysitter.” Will sighed. “Hold on... Hello?”

“You’re at home, right?” Zeller knew the truth, clear in his voice, and Will knew lying would be stupid.

“No.”

“What am I supposed to do, Will? Lie?”

Hannibal tilted his head as he saw the look on Will’s pale face. “Please?”

“Just tell me where you’re at? I need to know that you’re safe a least.”

“I’m at a friend’s house...”

“I saw you with an older man.”

“He’s my friend.”

“Friends don’t kiss each other.”

“Where are you?” Will was starting to panic, and it was showing in his voice. “Where are you, Zeller?”

“I’m not watching you. I need to know where you’re at.”

“It was Hannibal Lecter.”

“Oh." He wasn't surprised, but he still felt slightly disappointed. "I don’t know him very well, but I’ve heard about him from Crawford. One of the brightest students coming out from psychology. Doctor Alana Bloom adores him.” Zeller flinched when he realized it almost sounded rehearsed. But he had expected this, sort of. The two had been so close at the dinner.

“I’m with him.”

“Doctor Chilton doesn’t like him.” Newly acquired information, but Zeller wasn’t sure he really wanted to tell Chilton about this.

“I know.”

“Is this a rebellious stage?”

“I didn’t know he didn’t like him until I started to like him.”

“Is he there with you right now?”

“Yes.”

“Put him on the phone, Will.”

Will glanced to Hannibal. “He wants to talk to you.” He nodded. “I’ll give him the phone.”

"Hello, this is Hannibal Lecter. May I ask who I am speaking to?” Hannibal’s voice was calm, polite, but it had an underlying threatening tone to it. Like he was daring Zeller to try and take Will away from him now that he had him to himself. There was a few moments, and Hannibal let out a smooth chuckle. “No, Mr. Zeller.” There was another long pause, Hannibal appeared thoughtful: “Only if he should want to. I would never do anything to harm him.”

Will wondered what the two talked about, watching as Hannibal appeared more relaxed, smirking into the phone. The younger male almost felt left out, but he did his best to conceal his displeasure. Then he burst out with: “Can we put him on speaker?”

Hannibal looked surprised, but a warm, knowing smile fell onto his lips. “Mr. Zeller, I fear that me speaking to you has caused dear Will to become unsettled. Would you be so kind as to allow me to place you on speaker for the remainder of our conversation?” Hannibal put the phone on speaker. “Mr. Zeller?”

“Yeah?”

“Say hello to Will.”

“Will! Are you alright?”

“Yes, Hannibal takes good care of me.” Will couldn’t help but smile as he saw Hannibal’s face brighten a little with the compliment. Hannibal pressed a kiss against the top of Will’s head.

“Can I pick you up tomorrow morning?”

“Hannibal already drops me off at school.”

“I need to make sure you’re actually getting to school.”

“If you want, Mr. Zeller, I could drop Will off early. You can stop by the school, and Will can come to your car. That way you’ll know he gets to school everyday.”

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t tell Crawford or Chilton.”

Will looked startled, looking up Hannibal. He automatically wrapped his hand around Will’s. “We can’t give you any reason. I’m just asking that you don’t because I’ll do anything to make Will happy. If he wants to leave, I won’t stop him. I’m not stopping him from packing his things and asking you come pick him up right now. It’s a pleasure to have him here. I want him to be happy. I want him to be safe. I’m asking you to let me provide that for him.”

Zeller felt his face heat up. He wondered why he was the one who had to deal with Will Graham and his little love adventures. "If I get in trouble over this... just... I'm going to pretend I have no idea that you are with Will. All I know is that Will is at home, and he is currently sleeping."

“Thank you, Brian.” Zeller couldn't help but smile a little as Will used his first name.

“Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Zeller. Oh... One more thing, I would like to invite you to dinner tomorrow evening. I have the most lovely cut of meat, and I’m sure Will would be honored to have you at the table again.” His voice made Will smile sheepishly.

“I- I’ll make arrangements to attend right away.” Zeller nodded. He took in a deep breath. “Thank you for your time. Good night, Lecter, Will.”


	8. Death

Will laid on the couch in the morning, dressed and washed, but his head hurt horribly. He let his head rest against Hannibal’s thigh, reaching up towards the ceiling before sighing. He hadn’t slept the night before, just laid silently in bed. He was surprised at Hannibal’s sleeping habits. The man had waited until he thought Will was asleep before he pressed a kiss against his cheek. Then he had gotten up and left the room. He came back in after a long time, and he laid down again, wrapped his arms Will and tried to go to bed.

Will realized how restless he was.

Finally Hannibal had stilled, sleeping. And Will gathered enough courage to turn to face the man who was holding him. He let his cheek rest against Hannibal’s chest and sighed contently. He managed to get an hour of sleep before Hannibal woke him up gently. And now, Will didn’t want to move, on the couch, ready but unwillingly, with his head on Hannibal’s lap. “We have to leave soon, dear Will.” He petted the soft curls and watched as Will took in a deep breath before sitting up, pressing a kiss on Hannibal’s shoulder.

He nodded, letting Hannibal hold his hand as the two walked down to the car together. Will let his head rest against the window, hoping he wouldn’t fall asleep. But he must have because Hannibal was saying his name when he woke up again, slumping slightly with a bit of drool escaping his slightly parted lips. His face flushed, and he wiped at his mouth with embarrassment before he started to open the door. “I’ll see you later, Hannibal.”

“Lunch?” He sounded hopeful.

“Yes. The usual place.” He grinned as Hannibal placed a kiss on his hand before leaving. Then a few minutes later, another car drove up, Brian Zeller who looked half asleep at the wheel. He rolled down the windows and gave him a half smirk. “Good morning.”

“Yeah. I’ll pick you up and drop you off at Hannibal’s?”

“Sure, I’ll tell him during lunch.”

“You see him during lunch?”

“Yes.” Will smiled a little. “That’s how we met. I really have to go. See ya at dinner?”

Brian nodded, and he drove off. Then Will went back to his classroom, only a little put off when he realized that he felt invisible. Two class, and school was canceled for the rest of the week. No one knew why, but apparently, someone had died in the fields. The second hour female P.E. class had found the body because two girls decided to take a shortcut during their run and tripped over a hand. While the students and staff were leaving, the police began to flood the campus. Crawford caught Will’s arm and pulled him aside.

“Brian is with me today. It’s a sort of training. I need him and a few other students from college. You’re welcome to stay. I need to see how well they handle death. If you want to swing by, call Brian, and he’ll come out here to get you. But you can gather yourself up first.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Will nodded, watching the older man smile tightly before leaving. Then his phone rang, he answered when he realized it was Hannibal. “Hi.”

“Hello, darling boy.” Will couldn’t help but smile at the accented voice and the sweet tone. “I heard what happened at your school. Apparently the lessons are canceled? Well, Crawford called, and he asked me to go see the body, put a profile on the killer... Do you want to go down there, we can still have lunch later, if you’re still hungry afterward, dear.”

“Yeah, that’d be great. Where are you?”

“Behind you.” Hannibal mumbled in Will’s ear, watching as he jumped, before he smiled at the teenager who looked flustered. “You need to pay more attention to your surroundings.”

“I- I try."

"Good. Be careful. You don't want to make a meal for some hungry predator."

"Don't be silly." Will grinned, reaching out to hold Hannibal's hand. Hannibal pressed a quick kiss against his cheek like a warning. “We shouldn’t be showing affection here, huh?” Will almost sounded hurt. “Not in front of these guys. They might tell on us to Chilton.”

Chilton.

His name felt funny in his mouth now.

“I supposed they would.” Hannibal whispered. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone say a word. If you really want, we can hold hands in front of whoever you’d like. I am not ashamed of you.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Will pulled back a little and smiled. “We can just pretend to be friends, right?”

“Of course.” Hannibal’s hand hesitated, wanting to touch Will. He closed his hand and put his arms to his side while Will stuffed his hands into his pockets. When they reached the crime scene, the two watched a young blonde woman ran away, sobbing and choking before she threw up. Most of the young people there watched her, like they were embarrassed she was part of their group. Will recognized her from the dinner party. Crawford was surrounded by his favorites of the chosen and his actual group who each had some young person with them.

“As you know, Hannibal, I’m missing Doctor Alana Bloom.” Crawford said as he saw the two walking towards him. “So your mentor isn’t here. And William Graham, you would be a completely new department. Probably a... an addition that cannot be restored once you leave, if you ever to choose to join, of course. But I’ll probably leave you with Hannibal. You two seem to be a neat match, don’t you agree?”

“Yes.” Will’s voice was faintly shy.

“Perhaps now would be the time to prepare yourself, Will. We should look at the body.”

Will nodded again, giving Crawford a tight smile before turning around to walk with Hannibal towards the body. Jimmy Price, two older men, Beverly Katz, and Brian Zeller were already hovering over it spitting out different ideas and facts about the death.

The two older men were shooting questions at Katz and Zeller who were answering to the best of their abilities. When they noticed Hannibal and Will, they quieted, smiling and greeting both politely. “Hello, Mr. Hannibal Lecter, who is your little friend? No good to scare the wits out of a child, perhaps you should take him to the park instead, you’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you, little boy?”

Will flushed, looking embarrassed, but Hannibal placed a hand on Will’s shoulder, pushing him gently forward. “Please, excuse me, I forgot to introduce him. This is William Graham, Doctor Chilton's ward.”

“William Graham?” The man looked startled before a bright smile formed on his lips. “Why didn’t you tell me this was William Graham, Lecter! Silly boy, it is a pleasure! How terribly rude of me, I’ve heard all about you. You only look like a child!”

“Yes, Lecter talks about you often.” The other man nodded. “A whole new department just for you, you must really be as  
talented as they say about you. Crawford must really favor you to be willing to create a new job for you. Now tell me, what is it that you do?”

“Creative p- profiling.”

“Ha! Then what are you doing here, Lecter? This boy is going to take your job!”

“I do not fear that. We... both have our little tricks.”

“I’m sure you do, my boy!” He grinned, and Will realized that Hannibal was fond of the man who had first spoken to him. He couldn’t help but wonder who he was. “We should give you two some privacy to look at the body. Come on, let’s move out.” The man smiled, gesturing for the others to leave with him. Then Will realized that man was more or less a leader among them.

“Bye, Will.” Zeller smiled, patting his arm before leaving the others.

Big, innocent eyes looked at Hannibal. Will was probably the most delicious thing he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. The young man licked his lips. “I hope you are not overwhelmed by the body. So, tell me, Will... what do you see?”

His eyes moved towards the corpse. “He’s dead.”

Hannibal chuckled. “What else?”

“A- and there are mushrooms...?” He paused, closing his eyes. “Connections.”

Will saw himself with the boy in his arms, taking him into the yard of the school, far from the students. The boy had to be unconscious. The boy didn’t struggle, no bruises... Had he come willingly? No, he wasn’t awake. He dragged him to the farthest garden and put him in the ground. Burying him, like he was planting a garden. Started to grow... mushrooms? When he watered them, they reached out towards him. When he reached to them, they reached back. Company. Will felt so complete when he reached his hand out, and he was not rejected. The smell was awful, but he was okay. He could handle this, no one should be coming through this part of the school. No one ever does.

“He want someone to... reach out towards him. He’s lonely.”

‘Are you lonely?’

Will froze as the voice echoed in his head; he looked down into the watering can as he moved to water the next person in line. He saw himself.

“Will?” Hannibal touched his arm, and Will’s eyes opened slowly, realizing he had a fistful of Hannibal’s jacket in his hands. He paused a moment before he looked up at him, eyes wide.

“W-what?”

“What happened?”

“He didn’t want to be rejected. He didn’t want to be lonely anymore.” Will whispered. 

“A man?”

“He’s a man...”

“Middle-aged.” Hannibal says softly.  
Will nodded his head. “He likes to garden, you know, talk to the flowers, and they’ll grow? He has to be fit... carried all these people here and buried them before school. He’s... in the medical field. A...”

Will didn’t realize everyone was watching him.

He didn’t realize that tears were forming in his eyes and were beginning to run down his cheeks.

Hannibal slowly moved to shield him from the stares, hand against the back of his head, slowly pressing the smaller body against his own. “He’s so lonely.”

“Will. Listen to me, calm down.”

“But he’s so lonely.”

“Will...”

“No one understands him. He needed someone, but no one accepts him. He’s like me. He’s lonely. He only wants to reach out, for people to understand him.”

“He’s faceless in your mind?”

“I saw myself when I looked down in the watering can.” Will whispered. “I saw myself.”

Crawford slowly walked towards them, letting his feet hit the floor loudly, so Hannibal realized what was happening. He turned to face the older man, arms still wrapped around Will. “I can help him.”

“I know. What did he see?”

“A man, middle aged, he has a green thumb. He has to be fit because he carries the body with care. He should be in medical field because they do not seem like they were forced. He had to have some sort of tranquilizer available to him. Look at the bodies, Will might be able to piece this together after that.”

“What about you, Lecter?”

“A lonely old man who needs companionship; either divorced or never married. Maybe no children or a few who never visit. His work is his life, and he has nothing outside of it. This is probably the only real human contact he gets. If he is in the medical field, I suggest looking into the medical background of the victims. See if they have any conditions in common. May we leave? Will should not be here.”

“I’m fine.” Will’s voice sounded a little weak, but his eyes were determined. “I’m okay. I just need to take a breath. I got caught a little off guard, that’s all.”

Zeller made his way towards the couple, putting a hand on Will’s shoulder. “If you need anything, you can call me. I’m supposed to be your sitter anyways.”

Will smiled at him.

After the dinner with Zeller, time blurred.

Zeller had tried to be polite as possible, but he was still an ass most of the time. Hannibal smoothed out any doubt in his mind that he could possibly be poison to the boy, and Will managed to be happy the entire time. Zeller had patted Will’s head and shook Lecter’s hand firmly.

It had been perfect and warming to both parties.

Then two weeks were up faster than he had believed possible. And it ends up, Will had been a help to the investigation. He had won the respect of the college students who were expected to work for Crawford that day.

Yet every moment of those two weeks with Hannibal had felt like an eternity.


	9. Calm

Things weren't always so bad. Will really did like Chilton once. Chilton was his father figure until the moment he wasn’t. It had been so innocent once. Just a little boy and his young guardian in a big house and two maids who only showed up twice a week. It had been awkward for both at first. The little boy was new to the rich food that Chilton had grown up on and young enough to be scared of the dark, the monsters under his bed, the monsters that tormented his head, and unable to reach the high things on the shelf. He hadn’t even really understood how to turn the shower on. So Chilton had to try and teach him all of it.

He had only been there a few months when his first stream of nightmares kicked in. He would scream and sob and choke until Chilton woke him up.

The young doctor would finally be getting done with his work when the screaming would start, and he'd hurry to find the little form thrashing about in a tangle of blankets. This happened so frequently that Will was scared to close his eyes. So, Chilton would sit at his bedside the entire night with his head against the bed and would usually end up waking up there in the morning with the child nudging his shoulders. Other times, when Chilton was forced to work into the night, he took the child to his work and had a daybed put into his large office, so he could keep an eye on him.

Their relationship had been wonderful. The two had more or less matched.

He had taken up the hobby of baking, trying to create goods with the boy. But the two had always failed in recreating those types of art. But the boy excelled in fishing while Chilton could never get a bite. Chilton read books to the boy and decorated the room lavishly with baby blue and cherry wood.

Chilton would take the child to parks, zoos, libraries, and beaches in an effort to see him smile. He had done everything he could to be a successful and caring parent. He loved Will. He would tend to him while he was sick and kissed his boo-boos. He even carried him all the way home when he fell asleep during an expensive dinner party because he had locked his keys and wallet into the car.

Will wouldn’t lie, sometimes, he did love his guardian.

Sometimes, he felt like Chilton was the only person who did care about him.

And it felt like it was still the two there in that large house with only each other.

A nostalgic image of being with a guardian who had wanted him desperately.

But other times he remembered what Chilton had done to him. He remembered the humiliation of being held down and taken while he begged to be let go of. He remembered the pain of not being properly prepared. He remembered the shame and burn as he was put through it again and again.

“Will? We should go. He will be here soon.” Hannibal’s voice startled the teen. He placed a gentle hand against the younger’s shaking legs. “I suppose I shall take you back home? Put your clothing away quickly, so he does not suspect anything.”

“Okay.” Will nodded, looking down.

He felt almost sad.

“I will always come to you.”

“I know.” His lips curled in a smile though it did not reach his eyes. Will shifted uncomfortably before glancing up at him through his thick eyelashes. “Yesterday on the phone, he arranged a dinner between me and Zeller. Just us. I think Chilton believes he’s less of a threat to him. He really doesn’t like you”

“Of course.” Hannibal leaned down to press a kiss against Will’s cheek. “An arrangement between Chilton and Crawford would do well for both their agendas. He’s probably trying to mentally attach you to another member, that Chilton approves of. If this works, just know I did enjoy these last two weeks, and I do enjoy your company and respect your beautiful mind, my dear Will.”

“It won’t work!” Will frowned, crossing his arms as he looked up at Hannibal in a childish fashion. “I’m not going to let Chilton control my life. I may not very old, and I am not legally an adult. However, I do believe that I have some intelligence.”

Then the two parted with a single kiss, and Will locked up and went up the stairs to his lonely room. He snuggled down into bed and wished that Chilton would leave him alone tomorrow.

When the teenager woke, his guardian was home. It was a Sunday morning, and Will hoped he could spend it sleeping. But, of course, Chilton caught him as he tip toed down the hallway.

“Hello, William!” He spoke cheerfully, eyes bright with the thrill of having been across the country. “I believe that you and I are overdue for a lunch together.”

“Yes, sir.” Will smiled though he was still tired. “I was wondering if I could invite Zeller. You and Crawford want me to make friends, so... I’m going to try!” He tried his best to sound as cheerful as Chilton who paused before a lesser smile was forced upon his lips.

“Of course. It will be a fabulous chance for me to meet him.”

“Great, I’ll ask him then.” Will quickly leaned up and pressed a kiss against Chilton’s cheek before hopping out of the hallway and back to his bedroom. He jumped on his bed and threw the sheets around in an effort to find his phone which he did find after looking under his bed.

Hannibal had sent a poem.

“Then hate me when thou wilt, if ever, now,/Now while the world is bent my deeds to cross;/Join with the spite of fortune, make me bow,/And do not drop in for an after-loss:/Ah, do not, when my heart hath ’scaped this sorrow,/Come in the rearward of a conquered woe./Give not a windy night a rainy morrow,/To linger out a purposed overthrow./If thou wilt leave me, do not leave me last,/When other petty griefs have done their spite/But in the onset come; so shall I taste/At first the very worst of fortune’s might;/And other strains of woe, which now seem woe,/Compared with loss of thee will not seem so. --William Shakespeare Good morning, dear Will."

He quickly typed out his response: "Morning! And Shakespeare, Hanni? This won’t change anything, so don’t you worry."

He dialed Zeller’s number, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Ah, too early on a Sunday to call someone, Will.” The older man grunted out, voice rough with sleep.

“Sorry.” Will couldn’t help the cheeky grin that broke around his lips. “I wanted to know if you wanted to come to lunch with me- Chilton is going too, but I think he wants to meet the guy who babysat me for two weeks.”

“I didn’t really...”

“Brian.” Will said stubbornly. A soft chuckle came from the other line, and Will heard the bed shift.

“Fine, just text the information, I’ll get ready, Will.”

“’kay, see ya soon!” Will smiled before he heard the murmur of agreement, and the two hung up.

“What did he say?” Chilton asked as entered the room, glancing over Will’s cheerful face which quickly looked down. “Yes, I presume. The two of you must have become good friends, huh?”

“First name basis.” Will confirmed as lightly as he could without sounding forced. “We should get ready then.”

"Let's hope to forget that Hannibal fellow, this Zeller boy seems to be a much better influence on you."

"I believe Zeller is older than Hannibal." Will mumbled to which Chilton smiled.

"Yes, Crawford told me. But I hope he is more... how to say, agreeable."

"Maybe."

The older man left to get ready while teen sat still for a few minutes sending another message to Hannibal: "I wish I could see you."

After the two were ready, and Will had sent the information, he waited impatiently to see Zeller. He fiddled with his thumbs as Chilton pet his head fondly. "Oh William, I've missed you so much these last two weeks."

Will smiled before a knock on the window startled him. His smile brightened as he saw Zeller. He unlocked the door, so Zeller opened it.

"Hey, Will."

"Hi, Brian." Will then glanced towards his guardian with a flush. Chilton saw the flush, and he wondered if this Brian Zeller had inappropriate relations his William. But he saw at how Zeller looked towards him, that was not the case. "Brian, this is my guardian, Doctor Frederick Chilton. Doctor Chilton, this is Mr. Brian Zeller."

"Doctor Chilton, pleasure to meet you." Zeller reached a hand out shake. Chilton looked pleased.

Then the three were out and making their way to the tables of a fancy restaurant. Finally, Will realized he was being courted. His guardian had arranged it perfectly. He even had Crawford and Zeller’s consent.

"So Mr. Zeller, how was your time with my William?" He asked as they were seated, and the waiter handed out menus. They ordered drinks and food. All three having been to this restaurant more than once.

"Perfect, Will was-"

"William."

"Forgive me, he introduced himself to me as Will." Zeller glanced towards Will who looked surprised, eyes on Chilton like he was waiting for some signal, when he didn't get on, he looked lost. His hands tightened into fist as he glanced over table like he was trying desperately to think to something.

"I- I do prefer William. I just tried to be less formal." Will choked a little, looking down before glancing up at Chilton who smiled warmly at him.

Will felt his phone vibrate. He glanced down to check his phone discreetly while Zeller and Chilton chatted.

Zeller had sent a message somehow without gathering anyone's notice: "Sheesh, informal my ass. Don't worry, Will, I'll just call you William in front him."

Will felt himself smile sending a quick: "Thanks"

"William. Phone." Chilton growled softly. Will felt his face heat more as he looked down.

"Yes, sir."

"Now, as I was saying, Mr. Zeller..." the two continued the light chat, and Will wished he was with Hannibal. He wondered what Hannibal was doing at the moment. He wished he could call him.

"Yes, enjoy him for a day. He'd love your company, wouldn't you, William?"

"Of course, Doctor Chilton." Will answered, turning to smile at Zeller.

"There! Take him for the rest of day, I need to unpack and clean the house anyways. It will be good for him to be out of the house, stuck there for the last two weeks- it must have been boring." But Will knew Chilton’s voice, and it read Chilton knew William had hardly spent time inside the house.

"It would be my pleasure." Zeller smiled. He paid for the meal, continuing to impress the guardian. Chilton shook Zeller's hand, an equal, and he patted Will's head, either a child or a pet.

"I expect William to be home by ten o'clock." He took out about seven hundred dollars and smiled as he placed it into Zeller's hand. Zeller looked down, eyes widening. "For baby sitting."

"Sir, I really don't deserve it-" He started, but Chilton left, waving him off. He turned to look at Will with a slightly hanging open mouth. "Why so much?"

"He throws money around because he has more than enough." Will answered, smiling as he allowed Zeller to take his arm as they left the restaurant. “Where do you want to go? I don’t mind. Actually, can we go to your house after we rent some movies?”

“With this much money, you can buy as many movies as you want.” Zeller laughed, leading him to a nice car for a college student. “My mentor doesn’t have kids. Or a wife, she passed away after two years of marriage. He said that I must have been the son he never had. So he’s been helping my family out since my dad ditched my mom, and my siblings are both in college too. Well, my older brother is in Law School so... It’s expensive for all of us. But with the mentorship, I get enough to keep my mother comfortable, and my mentor gives me money too. He called it an allowance. He’s always saying he has too money and nothing to do with any of it.”

“Then keep the money,” Will said softly. Zeller looked embarrassed. “Chilton gave me a debit card for my tenth birthday. Send the money to your family. Chilton is rich as hell anyways.” Will’s eyes brightened. “I never used my debit card before! He says he puts money on it every month.” Will didn’t mention the fact he got money for his wallet afterward.

Will had money stashed away. And he had another college bank account that Chilton had been putting money in since he was adopted.

The older of the two begin to drive.

Will hadn’t realized it, but he was gifted. Gifted with a rich home, even if he had been forced to give up his poor home in return. He didn’t have to worry about cooking like he had when his mother had just passed and his father was broken. Chilton had done everything to make sure he was comfortable, and things were neat.

He suddenly felt the need to thank him.

He would do that later, but right now, he allowed Zeller to reach for his hand. He wondered why it felt so different from when Hannibal had held his hand while they drove. Will squeezed his hand, blinking his tears away.

The two ended up renting a handful of DVDs from the redbox using Zeller’s credit card. They went to the store and got some microwavable popcorn. They ended up on the couch watching movies and eating popcorn. Neither really spoke other than the occasional questions about the movie or comfort. It was around three movies, or five hours later, when Zeller decided to make dinner.

“We can eat... uhh.” Zeller’s cheeks flushed darkly as he looked through his fridge and then looked through his cabinet; both were more or less empty. “I guess grilled cheese and tomato soup. That’s all I got.” Zeller had Will make the canned soup while he made the grilled cheese.

“So what are you studying for?”

Zeller sighed, flipping the sandwich. “Is that the best question you can think to ask?”

"I hardly know anything about you, so isn't that a good question?"

"Ask me something personally, push aside all those silly formalities, Will." Zeller’s voice made Will relax. Will blushed and smiled slightly. “Look, Will, I’m pretty sure you have already realized what Doctor Chilton and Crawford want. Crawford wants you on the team, and Chilton doesn’t want you to stick with Hannibal. I’m one of the main three, one’s a girl and one’s me. They both already know you’re not straight. I’m the only other guy on the team other than Price, and he’s old.”

“You’re twenty four.”

“I’m only twenty four.” Zeller frowned. “I’m not that old! What is Lecter? Twenty one? And you’re so mature for such a little sixteen year old?” Will laughed as Zeller turned to smirk at him. “So give me a chance. I’m sure Lecter won’t mind if he’s so sure you’re loyal to him. And you won’t find me threatening if you have already declared love for someone.”

“Fine.” Will frowned, though it quickly became a smile. “I wonder why Chilton doesn’t mind you.”

“He must not like foreigners.” Zeller shrugged before he took out two matching bowls. And different plastic, colored spoons. His face heated up again. “You won’t find matching or pretty silverware here, sorry, Will. I don’t have a fancy kitchen set.” Then Will laughed as they went to sit at the table to eat their food.

Will hadn’t tasted simple food in a long time. He had been spoiled by Chilton and Hannibal. This simple plate of food made Will want to weep.

He remembered his home.

A beautiful, young mother in an apron and his tall, kind father who stood beside her in the kitchen, helping her with the house chores. And the little boy always seemed to be behind them, at their back, watching them while they did things together. He didn’t feel part of the home the two had created together.

After dinner, the two had decided to go for a walk in the park.

Will clutched Zeller's hand tighter. "Do you miss your parents?"

Zeller glanced down towards the teen before frowning and looking back up towards the darkening sky.

"I don't think so. When I felt left home for school, I was worried. But then I remembered Beverly and I was going to the same school. Crawford took us both under his wing... I felt like I was at home again." Zeller smiled warmly in thought before looking back down at Will. "Do you?"

"Miss my parents?"

"Mhm."

"I only have fragments of memories left. Chilton has become everything to me. I have no idea what happened my father." Will said dully.

"Do you want to know?" Zeller whispered, squeezing Will's hand.

Will shook his head.

"Its getting dark. I should bring you home."

"Okay." Will smiled. He allowed Zeller to take him back to Chilton's, wishing Zeller could have been his friend.


	10. Stolen

Zeller had walked Will up the steps and pressed a kiss on his cheek before leaving.

Then Will had opened the door and was ambushed by Chilton and another teenage who looked like he didn't want to be there.

Chilton quickly went up to Will and drew an arm around his waist before pulling him back towards the older looking boy, so he could properly introduce the two. "Mr. Matthew Brown, this is my dear William Graham."

"Hello, Mr. Graham." Brown firmly shook his hand with a warm smile, but his eyes were cold and taunting. He was a tall, young man with a very fit looking body. "At your service."

"Oh, yes. I hired him to keep you out of trouble. I don't want you sneaking around to see that Mr. Lecter." Will frowned bitterly at Chilton's cheery voice. He was acting like the entire situation of hiring someone was actually a joke. "I have two new inmates, so I won't have so much time for babysitting."

"I prefer being called a bodyguard. Babysitting sounds pitiful. Besides, he doesn't look like a baby. He must be a bad kid though." Will glared darkly as Matthew titled his head, drawing each word out until Will felt a shiver pass though his body. "Are you a bad boy, Mr. Graham?"

"Enough teasing, let's talk this over a drink?"

"Of course, Doctor Chilton." And the older boy followed, glancing back at Will with a smirk.

Will frowned before hurrying down the hall, taking his phone out, sending a quick text: "Hanni, I can't eat lunch tomorrow. I think Chilton hired me a professional stalker."

"That's bad luck. Maybe next time, darling."

"Good night"

"Sweet dreams, dear Will."

Will hopped up the steps cheerfully before opening his door to see Hannibal, with dress pants and a black jacket, opened and revealing a pressed white dress shirt, glancing at a picture. He turned to look at Will's surprised face. "Did you miss me?"

Shutting the door quietly and locking it, Will threw his arms around Hannibal's neck. Hannibal looked a little surprised but smiled and gave Will a tight hug. "How did you...?"

"I went through your window, pardon me for the intrusion."

"I'm on the second floor!"

"Yes, that was a minor obstacle." Hannibal chuckled, but he kept his arms around the younger male. "I just came to say good night, dear Will."

"Good night, Hannibal!" Will whispered as he slowly pulled himself away. He kissed Hannibal's cheek. Hannibal smiled warmly, and his eyes softened a little before he pressed a sweet kiss against Will's mouth. "I adore you, darling."

"I know." Will smiled. Then the front door opened.

"I should be leaving then, before Chilton comes upstairs. Don't forget to unlock the door." He pressed a quick kiss against Will's forehead before going back towards the window. He pulled his hood up and smiled before opening it and disappearing from view.

Will unlocked his door and quickly gather his things before changing into his night clothes, brushing his teeth, and then snuggling into bed. Just like he suspected, Chilton came into his room. He sat at the side of Will's bed and brushed his hair back softly.

Will opened his eyes, staring up at Chilton. "Hello, William." He stroked Will's cheek gently. "I came back." Will felt his tongue grow thick and dry in his mouth as he felt tears gather in his eyes. He curled up against Chilton's chest, letting out soft whimpers as the older man rubbed his back. "I'll always come back to you." Chilton then slowly separated himself from Will, putting a kiss on Will's cheek, then stood and left the room.

Will bit his lip before closing his eyes and hoping he could sleep.

When his alarm sang, he sat up, dizzy and sweating heavily. He automatically shivered at the cold air. He pulled himself together and took a hot shower. When he went down the stairs for breakfast, he heard Chilton's voice, clearly entertaining a guest. He peeked in to see Mr. Matthew Brown laughing across the table from Chilton, next to the place he ate every morning.

"Good morning, Doctor Chilton, Mr. Brown." Will announced as he entered the room, moving in to shake Brown's hand. It was then Will realized Brown was wearing his school's uniform.

A maid handed him his morning cup of hot chocolate, and he felt heat rise to his cheeks. Both Chilton and Brown had cups of coffee. Will sat beside Brown, glancing at Chilton with a worried expression. Chilton glanced at him with an strange expression before smiling at Brown.

"Good morning." Chilton's voice was calculated.

"Morning." Brown mumbled before sipping his coffee before glancing at his wristwatch. "I'll drive you to school." He paused a moment before grinning at Will. "I'm a senior, in case you haven't realized. I'll wait in the car for you."

"I knew his father." Chilton supplied as Brown left the house. "Worked at my hospital. He's a sweet boy, but I suspect he spent too much time there. He'll keep a good eye on you. He's also a smart boy, so he'll know if you do anything. I told him he wasn't allowed to physically harm you, but he's... different."

"Has he always gone to my school?"

"No, he started two years ago. After his father died. I've been helping his grandmother with bills, and I've been paying for his tuition and supplies. His father was a good man. We went to the funeral, remember?"

Will then remembered a tall, angry looking boy, Matthew Brown, standing beside an old, mourning woman in front of a gloomy casket on a cold morning. He had been with Chilton, watching the scene unfold. Matthew had not cried, scarily withdrawn from the entire event. He had been too scared to shake hands with Matthew that day, unwilling to touch his hand because Will feared he would be able to physically feel his emotions.

"Don't you dare drag my name in the mud." Chilton suddenly frowned. "You obey and the sooner you can do as you please. Until then, you listen."

"Yes, sir."

"And William?" Chilton looked anxious. "Do me a favor and be careful. Its very dangerous to be alone in this city right now."

"Well, I'm stuck with Mr. Brown, I'm sure I'll be safe."

"So stay with him and don't try to leave him behind." Chilton frowned before hugging him tightly. "The serial killer has gotten more confidence. He's killed three in the past two weeks I was gone."

"I will. Have a good day, Doctor Chilton." Will pressed a kiss on Chilton's cheek before grabbing his bag and jacket and hurrying to the car waiting outside. "Hello." Will smiled tightly at Brown who let a half smirk on his lips.

"We're going to grab some dinner after school, so think about what you want to eat, my treat." Then he turned on the radio and the two drove in silence. When they parked, Brown glanced at Will, another frighteningly smug smile forming on his lips. "Doctor Chilton really cares about you, wants me to keep you beside me until this guy gets caught. Actually, you sort of look like the type he takes. Guess I can see why he hired me."

Will walked in a daze afterward, partially irritated at being the type of person who got brutally murdered and half scared that everyone was so sure he was going to be a target. Brown walked him to each class, once even slung an arm around Will's thin shoulders and mumbled about how some guy was dick and to stay away from him. The boys who usually bothered him did not come close to being near him, giving him only a dirty look. Brown even sat where Hannibal usually sat.

Brown sighed before nibbling on his sandwich while he watched Will chew on a pumpkin muffin with cream cheese. "You seem to be getting a lot of company lately, eh?"

Will glared at Matthew darkly. "You can leave. I don't need you to-"

"Mr. Hannibal Lecter was one who sat across from you the last couple weeks, right?" Brown glanced up to see Will's wide eyes. He leaned in close, over the table. "I've seen him kiss you." Will's cheeks darkened considerably. "My, my, you've been a naughty boy, Mr. Graham." He brought a hand up to stroke Will's cheek with his thumb. "To think Chilton cares so much about his adorable little whore."

Will jerked back, eyes blown wide and heart pounding. Brown licked his lips as he searched Will's frightened face. He grinned like a shark before sitting up straight again and eating.

Will lost his appetite.

"I won't tell. Chilton doesn't have to know." Brown smiled warmly. He was tapping his fingers against the table. "I can be very secretive if I must. But I don't like to lie if I don't have to. You see, I won't tell him you threw yourself at some man before. But I will if you don't stay away from him now."

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

"I like Doctor Chilton." Brown's voice was stern. "I like him enough to do him a favor, and if that consists of you being bothered, I don't mind."

Will nodded before turning to look towards the restrooms.

"I'm not going to hold your hand, but you have three minutes."

Will smiled before standing up, grabbing his cellphone before looking at Brown, "guess I should call Chilton, you know, let him know how awesome you are."

"Flattery gets you no where." Brown hissed. "Hurry up before I drag you back over here, and you lose out on potty break."

Will put the phone in his pocket and discreetly texted Hannibal. Before setting a two minute timer. He opened the door to the smell of cleaning solution. He wrinkled his nose before coughing as he went to the sinks to wash his hands.

Brown leaned back and watched as an extremely disappointed looking Will walked back. He sat down and smiled slightly. "It must really suck to have to watch me."

"You're an improvement to the loud mouths I hang out with." Brown offered. Then he went back to chewing leisurely on his food. He sighed before looking towards Will. "Would you have shook my hand if I had cried?"

Will gagged, cheeks brightening in shame. "You remember?"

"Chilton gave me a hug, and you looked at me like I was insane. That's not something you forget." Brown frowned. He paused like it had been bothering him for a very long time. "Would you have?"

"Yes." Will whispered, ashamed.

Brown was quiet for a few moments before he sighed again. "I guess I can't blame you. I wouldn't have been able to face me either."

"No?" Will smiled a little.

"Nah. Let's leave it at that, come here." Brown smiled back as Will looked confused but got up and moved seats so he sitting closer to the older boy. He pulled the younger teenager into a tight embrace while Will automatically stiffened at the contact. Brown let out a hot sigh in Will's ear. "Do you think Mr. Lecter is the jealous type?"

"Let go-"

"No." Brown laughs, "I think he just might be, here, let me kiss your neck."

Before Will could do anything, Brown pressed a kiss against Will's neck, listening to the sharp gasp that Will made as he jerked back. Will grit his teeth as he raised his arm to push him away. Brown grabbed his wrist, grinning sadistically.

"Do you like being held down?"

"Fuck you." Will hissed. He pulled back, but he nearly fell off the bench. Weighing the risk of falling onto his back and the possibility of being embarrassed even more thoroughly, he figured just being embarrassed was better than physical harm. So, he had thrown himself onto Brown’s shoulders, burying his face against it, trembling. He surprised himself at the muffled whimper.

He didn’t like being dropped.

And then the bell rang.

Brown walked Will to is class like nothing had happened.

The end of their Monday had been peaceful, and Brown acted as he had this morning, a little more touchy than Will would have liked, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. All the boy did was keep his eye open, waiting for a moment he could get away. But whenever he found a moment where Brown seemed busy, Will found an excuse to stay and a small thought about Chilton’s warning.

He wondered why he cared.

The next couple days before the school ended for Winter Break carried on between awkward visits of Zeller trying to get a date, Chilton treating him like a child, and Brown being an ass.

The week before school ended, people stayed far away. Brown, apparently, had beaten up the boys who had previously bullied Will. He hadn't even found out until a classmate asked how much it cost. Then Will realized that Matt, Brown insisted being called this, was sort of looking out for him.

Zeller would take the two teens out for dinner, usually dragging Beverly along. They would sometimes go to college parties. That made Brown nervous to even let Will out of his sight for a few minutes. Or out to the amusement parks in different cities that he promised to take them during the break.

At the end of all that, Will would come home to a passive, happy Frederick. He would sit and watch the news, drink tea, and then be sent to bed. The closest thing to touchy that Chilton got was kiss on his cheek each night before bed or hugging him before school.

Will hated himself for being happy without Hannibal. He felt like he had betrayed him somehow. But Will tried to enjoy this time with his new found friends because it wouldn't last.

Will and Matt ate at a cafe after school the last Friday, Will’s choice. Brown got a newspaper, and they set in between them, reading about the killer. Then they stopped, and the two looked upset. “Another one found yesterday night?” Brown groaned as he rubbed his forehead. “Too many. How can a man kill a bunch of people and get away?” He glanced over at Will who let out a sigh.

“He needs to hurry and get caught.” Will mumbled, slightly surprised when Brown winced.

“Well, Mr. Graham, that’s the first time you’ve actually said you didn’t want me around.”

“No! I don’t mind your company.” Will sounded flustered. “I- I just can’t wait. I’m a little nervous too, but I know you won’t let anyone touch me."

The two quieted before Will tapped his fingers against the table. “Chilton wants to have a Christmas party. Do you want to come over? We can have a sleepover.” Will’s cheeks turned red as he realized how it sounded, and he ducked his head. “I mean, of course, your grandmother is invited to come and spend the holiday with us. Christmas is for family, right?”

“That would be nice.” Brown mumbled. He paused a second, watching as a smile grew on Will’s lips before he looked up. Then Brown leaned over, hand now firmly cupping Will’s cheek, and pressed his lips against Will’s. Will was startled, at first, tensing up slightly before moving his arms to wrap around Matt’s neck as he deepened the soft kiss.

That was how they got kicked out of the shop.

Apparently they started making out.

Brown held Will’s hand firmly, leading him out and to the park. When they sat on a bench, Will shivered and leaned closer to him, closing his eyes. “Sorry, I got carried away I guess.”

“It’s fine.” Brown mumbled before he pressed light kisses against Will’s face. “I think your kiss was worth more than that shitty cafe food anyways.”

“One more thing about the Christmas party though, a lot of snobby people who work with Chilton are going to be there.” Will laughed. “I want someone I can actually hang out with there.”

Will felt like he was cheating.

But he and Hannibal weren’t dating exactly.

Matt, Brown kept telling him to call this, was so good to him. “I know. I’ll be there. I promise.”

Will grinned and pressed a kiss on Brown’s shoulder.

Zeller gave Will and Matt gifts the next day.

A few days later, Chilton was hosting the Christmas party. The first two to arrive were Matthew and his grandmother, spending most of the day there actually. Alana Bloom showed not too long later, arguing with Chilton for around an hour before they became quiet. The older woman sat down, knitting and listening to some classical musical while Chilton and Bloom tried to cook in the kitchen. There were about five hired hands that helped and did most of the final works.

Matthew and William, as their respected guardians called them, decorated the lovely tree. It had several gifts under it already. Each one addressed to the families that would show up. Between the two, Will had a better eye at decoration. Matt was, very simply, placing objects on the tree in the hope it didn’t clash too much.

When the guest and their families arrived, they placed gifts to the host under the tree. There were a few other teenagers, most dressed in the best suits or dresses. Will felt under dressed, wearing slacks and a vest. Even Matt had worn nicer clothes. But it was Will’s home, so he ignored it and continued to chat with Matt despite the looks he received.

Clearly they thought Chilton would dress him better.

Or that he would have more well known company rather than simply Matthew Brown, family unknown.

Or that he would at least try to hold a conversation with them, the more well known families and their children.

Will was not socially elegant. But he introduced himself and Matthew to the families, smiling warmly and shaking hands when expected. He kept things light, not holding conversations despite the excitement of some of the guests to talk to him. Matthew kept away unwanted attention too.

The teenagers sat around the living room chatting lightly or on their cellphones. The younger children played. It was clear that the children had been told their behavior would reflect on their parents. The spouses of the psychiatrists were all in the next room, chatting warmly and bouncing newborns on their arms.

Will and Matt were really the only two of the teenagers who were actually interacting.

Will knew all four of the others though. The single girl and the three boys had refused to let him play with them as kids, forcing him to sit on Chilton’s lap in the boring adult room, clinging to the older man, so he would not be shunned. The girl had been the cruelest, probably because she realized that Will was prettier than she was. Her cherry blonde hair was lovely, her blue eyes and charming smile never let her down until she met William Graham. Then the scruffy, curly brown haired boy with big, grey blue eyes and pale skin was the most beautiful creature people had ever seen. So she had charmed the boys into refusing to allow him to play. When they played games, Will would leave the room, going to find Chilton to pick him up and carry him or hold him or sit him down beside him. Whatever the reason, he refused to leave Chilton’s side until they left the party.

Now the four were silence.

Clearly they had outgrown games, and the girl, Sophia, sat with a lovely red dress on the couch with her phone in her hands. The boys, Mark, Adam, and Seth, stood away from each other, looking like they’d rather be somewhere else. Mark had become a band student. Adam was a football player. Seth was an artist. Sophia had become a popular. And Will was still as he was, confused, different, and disliked by the group.

Their younger siblings sat on the floor, playing games.

Will was happy that Matt was with him.

After the dinner and the gifts were passed to each family, they left.

A few gifts remained untouched, being for the few that would stay longer. Will stood dutifully beside Chilton, shaking hands and thanking the guests. Finally, the last father with baby and his Doctor wife left. Chilton had shut the door after them and sighed loudly.

“I hate having to host this stupid party. It is so much easier when it is another family’s turn." Will chuckled slightly. Brown was in the kitchen doing dishes and the grandmother was still knitting in the other room. And Will looked up to see Chilton’s eyes.

And he knew what the older man wanted.

Will leaned up on his toes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“Remember that Matt is staying over tonight? His grandmother should be told where the guest room is. Matt can hang out in my room.” Will’s voice was silky, and Chilton petted his head. “Thank you, Chilton. For everything you’ve done for me.” And he hugged his guardian, feeling almost like old times.

Then they parted, Chilton going to show the grandmother where the guest room was, and Will to help Brown with the kitchen. Then Chilton was out again, helping them put away the things. When they were done, the three went back out to the living room where the grandmother was still knitting. Will decided to was about time to give Matt the gift. Chilton gave both teenagers and the older woman expensive and beautiful gifts. The grandmother offered a homemade scarf to each of the men. And Will offered a wonderful cologne set and new picture album to Chilton. Matt received a Marvel themed gift pack, making him laugh, from Will. Will’s gift as a lovely fishing lure craft set from Matt.

The grandmother retired, and then Chilton told them not to stay up too long before leaving the retire to his bedroom as well. Matt and Will stood alone in the living room for a few quiet moments before heading upstairs to Will's bedroom.

It had quickly become a makeout session, Will sitting on Matt’s lap while kissing him. Then Matt was pulling off his shirt, then Will was yanking down his pants. Soon the two were left in only underwear. Matt was slowly pulling off Will’s underwear, and he was covering the pale skin in kisses and light bites, listening to Will moan and whine. And he licked Will’s throat, and he felt the younger teenager harden, and he was enjoying this.

Then Matt’s underwear was gone too, and they were completely naked.

Will was on Matt’s lap again, his fingers in his ass while he stretched himself. Then he was lowering himself down on Matt, letting out a groan and kissing him deeply.

After the sex, Matt cuddled with Will, and the two fell asleep in the same sheets.

All in all, it had been two weeks since he’d hung out with Hannibal. Ten days since he heard his voice. And three days since Hannibal had responded to his text messages. Brown left that morning with his grandmother. But he came back to pick Will up and take him out see Zeller who was going to take them to an amusement park with Beverly. Brown didn’t leave until Will was safely home. Sometimes, the two would go to Brown’s house to eat dinner with his grandmother (Brown would cook), or Zeller, with a 24 hour notice, would invite Will out and Brown would follow (those days, Brown would go home to warm an early dinner he made the night before for his grandmother).

Brown and Will had taken a walk after dinner, which he made at home. Matthew, strangely weary of his surroundings today after the excitement of the amusement park. Beside that, it had been rather normal. Will had called Hannibal on a pay phone every time he could, no answer, and Brown aimlessly followed Will around.

Now, Will, wanting to go to the store, and it being beautiful winter weather, decided to walk. It was farther than Brown would have liked. And it was busier. Brown was pretty much holding Will’s hand at this point. There were so many people. They were lucky that they hadn’t drove, traffic was horrible.

Suddenly a handsome, young man appeared in front of them, forcing them to stop moving. He is of normal height and carefree by his attitude and manner of walking. He seemed to believe he was entitled. Then he was in front of Will, looking pleased and rather excited.

“William Graham!” He then grabbed both of Will’s hands in his own, completely ignoring Brown who’s glare darkened at the physical contact. Will tenses and slowly looks up to the taller man. He is smiling the strangest smile. And it scares him. Will tries to pull back, but then the man is clutching tighter. Will's lips tremble and his hands ache.

“Let go of him.” Brown grabs Will’s wrist.

The blonde clucks his tongue, finally acknowledging the tall teenager. “And you are?”

“Matthew Brown. I’m keeping an eye on Doctor Chilton’s ward.” He practically growls. The man seems pleased again, looking him over. “What gives you the right to touch him?”

“I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself! I am Mason Verger.” He laughs before releasing Will’s hands. Will wraps his arms around himself, clearly shakened. “My, you are much prettier in person than Lecter or Chilton has ever told me. I know them both. Chilton from school. Though I rarely attended. Father tended to take me out a lot. Father taught me more than I could learn from school anyways. Lecter from...” He pauses. “My sister knows him.” Then laughs again, like this is a joke. “I would love to spend time with you, my dear.”

Will can feel his skin crawl.

He doesn’t like this man.

This man scares him.

“We need to go, Mr. Verger. If you want to see William, you should talk to his guardian.” Brown sneers before he grabs Will’s wrist and quickly drags the boy away. Will can’t help but feel thankful. As soon as they are away, Brown’s bravery melts to a soft tremble.

“Did you see his eyes?”

Will’s voice breaks slightly. “Yes.”

“They were so empty.” Will squeezes Brown’s hand. Brown looks towards him before squeezing back, and he lets go. Will feels a little frightened, like now he was somehow vulnerable. He doesn’t why, but he reaches back to hold Brown’s hand. Matthew lets him.

Five days later, on the new year eve, Will and Matthew did not return home. They found most of Will and Matthew's clothes in the trunk of Matthew's car. It had been found on the side of a rode out of the city. The blood that was smeared across the interior and then ended suddenly belonged only to Matthew. It was suspected that the two were transported by car to another location.

Chilton was horrified when Crawford bought him the news that they believe that Will and Matthew's bodies would be found as the next two victims of the killer after their disappearance lasted longer than three days. It fit the pattern, only difference was the chance of getting caught was increase by going after a boy who was protected so thoroughly.

Chilton was mourning, pouring tons of money for the search despite calm words of their uselessness. He was doing his best to hold himself together through he seemed so torn up about losing the two boys. Matthew was like a son to him. Will was... complicated but he cared too deeply about both to favor one.

Zeller poured his heart into finding the guy. He was looking for his friend and his crush rather than two poor boys in the wrong place at the wrong time. He hung on every clue at the scene and every word from Crawford. Beverly and Price felt that this was much too personal, scared they'd soon be looking at one of the boy's body. They thought it would break his heart.

Crawford felt pressure from all sides to find the two. Even Chilton had become a huge part of the investigation. Beyond that, he would visit the grandmother of Matthew daily, bringing the dinner that Matthew usually prepared for her. He would sit beside her while she stared quietly into the fire. And she always forgave Chilton.

"You were good to my son, and you were good to my grandbaby. You did nothing wrong. Just bring me back my baby's body to put to rest."

That's all that seemed to come out of her mouth. Like a broken record.

Chilton felt so terribly about Brown. First his father, now him. He couldn't believe he had gotten the only two kids in his life killed. It was the first time he felt worthless.

Six days after they were predicted dead, the two boys were found. Brown was severely wounded and Will laid beside him, curled up in a vulnerable position.

**Author's Note:**

> Work in Progress! (I watch the show, so I guess I'll be adding characters with the show if I feel like it. I really liked Matthew Brown. So he's going to show up in chapter 10.)
> 
> Warning: not beta read. Or anything. This is just me rereading it and hoping that it isn't too bad. My ideas are sort of messy, and I do need to fix things- I'M SORRY! *bows head*
> 
> Thank you all for reading, commenting, and the kudo-ing? What? Okay, thanks ya'll tons!


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